SC Associate Principal Therese Nelson plans to retire at the end of the 2018 academic year, bringing an end to a successful and rewarding career in education.

“I’m so proud to leave here knowing where education has evolved, and I think one of the important things for me, or for all of us, is that we continue to move forward,” Nelson said.

Nelson first came to LT almost 20 years ago. She had been teaching physical education at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora when she learned of a job opening for an assistant principal at SC.

“I called my mom up who went to Nazareth, and I knew that was in the area, and asked her if [LT] was a good school, and she said ‘Oh my gosh, you’ve got to apply,’” Nelson said. “After interviewing, it felt really comfortable. When I was offered the job, it was an automatic yes. The opportunity to be here was amazing.”

Nelson held the position of SC assistant principal for her first six years, until she was promoted to associate principal for the following 13 years. Throughout her career, Nelson has been one of the most important and recognizable faces at SC, Principal Brian Waterman said.

“She absolutely loves this place,” Waterman said. “She loves the individual relationships she has with students. She’s so welcoming to families and students. When they come in and they think about this ‘big bad place’ that LT can seem like from the outside, she always makes it feel smaller.”

As SC associate principal, Nelson’s most important roles are overseeing SC and putting together the master schedule each year, she said. Her responsibilities have ranged from school safety to managing and updating the buildings and grounds.

“She’s got a motor, and she is one of the most energetic, young, vibrant people I know,” NC Associate Principal Kevin Brown said. “She doesn’t waste a lot of energy being down or complaining. You just don’t hear Mrs. Nelson do that. She’s always about moving ahead and trying new things and ideas. And I think that’s one of the things that I’ll miss. And the District, all of us, will miss when she retires.”

Nelson prioritizes students above all else, she said. She works to support the needs of each student by introducing new classes, presenting unique opportunities, and increasing the overall comfort level at the campus, she said.

“I think that her relationship with the students is her biggest accomplishment,” English teacher Deana Mancini said. “The thing I really admire about her is that she’d walk a thousand miles to save one student’s day. She does it tirelessly. She just continues and continues to make sure that the students are growing and receiving the best they can here.”

Nelson working behind the scenes ensures each student has access to all the necessary resources, the right education, and the best teachers, Mancini said.

“I have worked with Mrs. Nelson on the LT Career Exploration Program/Guest Speaker Series,” Evie Anagnos ‘20 said. “She has been an amazing role model, and I have learned so much from her. I have learned how to be organized, personable, and above all else, hardworking and kind per her guidance. Not only is she intelligent and understanding, she is also kind, patient, and friendly to myself as well as the LT community.”

Nelson’s passion for helping students and creating a more welcoming learning environment at LT has made the decision to retire a difficult one, she said.

“At LT we can actually turn our [retirement] letter in four years in advance, and I put mine in two years ago because it took me that long because I’m a very active person,” Nelson said. “I cannot see myself slowing down. So I waited a couple more years and then I put it in hoping that I would evolve into the point where I was ready to retire. So it came slowly and slowly and it’s still kind of hard because I have to fill that gap.”

Going from being constantly surrounded by 2,000, 3,000, and sometimes even 4,000 students a day to only interacting with a few will be a big adjustment, Nelson said. To fill this gap, she is going to focus on finding new ways to get involved and live a healthier lifestyle.

“Right now I would say life after retirement is going to continue to focus on the health and well-being of others,” Nelson said. “It’s a really good feeling knowing I can spend my time helping others find their way into healthy lifestyles. Here’s a simple tip: get back to nature.