South Bristol Teacher to Retire After 37 Years

South Bristol School kindergarten teacher Nancy Hatch will complete 43 years of classroom service to Maine children and launch into her retirement and the next chapter of her life when the final bell rings at noon June 20.

Hatch, of Damariscotta, has taught at SBS for 37 years, more than half that time as the kindergarten teacher. “It seemed like it went really fast,” she said. “Actually, it’s been longer than the other 17 years I’ve been here. The last 20 have been kindergarten.”

When she first arrived at SBS, Hatch taught a combined fifth- and sixth-grade class, followed by teaching a variety of other grades as well. In 1994 she began teaching kindergarten and eighth-grade science for a half-day each. Two years later, kindergarten was offered for the full day.

Based on a lot of research and best practices for development and learning, SBS was the first school in AOS 93 to provide a full day of kindergarten, according to Hatch. “I got my choice of which I wanted to do – science or kindergarten. I decided to go with kindergarten,” Hatch said.

“The requirements were getting stronger even then for more academic skills,” Hatch said. “The kids have changed some, but the requirements now have changed drastically.”

Hatch believes whole-heartedly that in spite of the rigors of curriculum changes, her kids keep rising to the occasion. “They keep handling what’s required of them. They work really hard,” she said.

Hatch said that she has seen how teaching kindergarten has changed from simple letter-writing, color identification, and counting to a much higher level of reading, storytelling, and writing.

“I have kids writing on keyboards,” Hatch said. She still teaches handwriting and letter forming. However, before her students fully learn how to make their letter appropriately, she wants them to use whatever means they have to express themselves by writing on paper.

“We pretty much accept anything. They learn how to form a letter correctly at the same time they do daily writing,” Hatch said.

Hatch said she likes to combine things in her classroom and sees the value of two or more things going on simultaneously. “They’re learning to read while they’re building on learning to write. They’re learning to spell while they’re learning to letter form. It’s huge what we’re asking of them,” she said.

Another combination that Hatch creates is partnering students. They practice storytelling either orally or in written form. One partner asks questions and the other includes the answer in their story. They revise and work together and regularly make presentations to the rest of the class.

Hatch said that her students are tested on writing random numbers up to 31 and learn to read a number up to 100. Last year she was testing for identification of two-dimensional shapes. This year she now includes the three-dimensional shapes of cube, cylinder, cone, and sphere.

“We’ve beefed things up, but I’m seeing them enjoy learning them,” Hatch said.

According to Hatch, her students now take on a lot more responsibility than they used to. Their play might be doing a word or number program on the computer, playing word or number games, or making shapes. “It’s not like play for play’s sake. It has a purpose,” she said.

Hatch spends time thinking about her students’ futures. She wonders if they are going to be able to have a career or if they are going to have to keep changing as technology changes. “It seems like things are more intense, but last for a shorter period of time,” she said.

Reflecting on her 43 years of teaching, Hatch said the biggest change she has seen is what is expected of children. “It’s really increased or intensified,” she said. “I’m very pleased and proud of how well they can adapt and keep learning and are happy about it. That’s one thing I love about kindergarten is that they’re happy and excited.”

One of Hatch’s greatest joys has been watching her students achieve and overcome things that they thought they couldn’t do. She also enjoys the fact that she is now teaching children whose parents she taught in fifth and sixth grades. “It’s nice to see these people in the community. I feel really connected to them. I love having their kids.”

SBS Principal Scott White said, “Nancy is well-liked and well-regarded by her peers and is well-liked and trusted by the community.”

White said that many times Hatch is the last staff member to leave the building and he is impressed with her dedication to teaching. “She is always willing to try new things. She always seeks the best way to implement new things. It speaks well of her character that she is always looking to do things the best way possible.”

While Hatch said that she knows she will miss the people and having the school to come to once she retires, she is also looking forward to travel and working on her home and garden. “Being able to be out in the world in the middle of the day, seeing the water, or not having to figure out what I’m going to wear,” are some of the things she looks forward to, she said.

As she prepares to retire and leave SBS, Hatch said that she feels grateful to have worked at the school and believes that its small size makes it special and is not a detriment.

“I love the professionalism of the staff and that everybody tries to be the best that they can be and keep growing,” Hatch said. “I wish everybody to keep on having success.”