This article was originally published in Kaleidoscope‘s Spring 2025 print edition. It is being published as a separate online article now for easy access.
In any educational setting, students come and go, but the educators who inspire those students often remain in the same location year after year. Thus, whenever a teacher retires, they leave behind generations of students whom they have inspired. Kaleidoscope is happy to recognize the incredible contributions of five retiring teachers at Ward Melville this year who have left their mark.
Farewell to Ms. Etheridge, Impassioned Empowerer
by Zaina Khan, Staff Writer
After over two decades of inspiring students at Ward Melville High School, Ms. Etheridge is beginning a new chapter in her life: retirement. Known for her deep love of literature and unwavering support of students, she leaves behind a lasting legacy in the English department and beyond.
Ms. Etheridge began her teaching career at Ward Melville in 2001, after spending 15 years in the business world. It was her cousin who encouraged her to become a student teacher with a favorite English teacher. That experience sparked a passion for education that quickly took hold. “I wanted to work with younger people, and I wanted to motivate them and get them into literature.”
Throughout her career, Ms. Etheridge taught everything from Contemporary Issues to AP English Literature. Her focus was always on building critical thinking and empathy in her students. She believed literature could change lives, even for those going into science or math. She said, “This is where critical thinking and empathy happens. For example, if you are going to be a doctor, empathy and critical thinking is as important as everything else.”
She has made a lasting impression on her students, many of whom continue to reach out years after graduation. “When they think of me, that’s rewarding to me. It’s always about the students. They’re my focus,” Ms. Etheridge shared.
Ms. Etheridge is famously known for her dedication to grading and giving feedback to student work at all hours, especially in the very early hours of the morning when she wakes up. One current student, Benjamin Ferrero, recalled a time when he was still up working on an assignment at the same time that Ms. Etheridge had already woken up to start grading it.
As she prepares for retirement, she looks forward to traveling, tutoring and enjoying life at her own pace. Ireland, Colorado and Tennessee are just a few of the destinations she has in mind. However, she hopes to stay connected with students through tutoring and possibly working at a college.
When asked what advice she would give to new teachers, Ms. Etheridge emphasized the importance of focusing on the students: “… to not make it about yourself. Make it about the students. … We don’t need to just sit up there and bore kids to death. Just get them going on something that’s interesting for them.”
Whether her students are writing literature or solving complex math problems in the future, they carry her voice with them — one of compassion, curiosity and encouragement.
One student shared that, “Ms. Etheridge has a palpable passion for what she does in life. It is so infectious and inspiring. Her joy for seeing her students, helping them and getting up in the morning to do it every day is an example of the kind of purpose students should strive for in life.” This speaks to the depth of her influence, not just a teacher of literature but a teacher of life.
It is not often that students leave a class feeling inspired about how they live, not just what they learned. She is an example to all students, parents, aspiring educators and colleagues that when you are passionate about what you do, you will not only succeed, you will also leave behind something meaningful.
Ms. Etheridge’s legacy at Ward Melville goes far beyond the lessons of any single work or essay. She leaves behind generations of students who think more critically, write more confidently, and read with purpose — skills that will always stay with you and shape their futures long after leaving the classroom.
We thank her for her unwavering passion, her wisdom and the warmth she brought into every class. Thank you for making us better thinkers, writers and people. Thank you for your patience and belief in every student who walked through your doors. Thank you, Ms. Etheridge, for inspiring us all.
Farewell to Mr. Jourdain, Energetic Educator
by Matthew Blumenthal, Sports Editor
“It’s not a given in life that what you’re going to do as a profession will be uplifting. But I feel very lucky that I can come to the building every morning and feel like ‘this is gonna be good!’ … I love the person I’ve become.” Instead of feeling burdened by having to go to work every day, Mr. Jourdain feels happy and excited to see his colleagues and students, a feeling he described as “precious.” After 25 years of teaching biology, ecology and environmental science, Mr. Jourdain has decided to retire.
Mr. Jourdain started his teaching career in the Brentwood School District in 2001, but soon came to Ward Melville High School a year later and has been teaching here ever since. Mr. Jourdain said thatm even as a kid in France, “I always enjoyed learning and sharing what I learned with my friends and family.”
As a young adult in college, he delved into the natural sciences like biology and ecology. However he soon realized that he did not want to go into research, as he liked a generalist approach to science, rather than specializing in one particular field. That is when he realized that teaching would be a fitting avenue.
He prepared to be a teacher in France, but soon after meeting his American wife, Mr. Jourdain came to the United States. He learned English, took more teaching classes and soon got a teaching job as a biology (and later ecology and environmental science) teacher at Ward Melville.
It was difficult at first. As he puts it, “It was a lot more cleaning the kitchen than getting good stuff out of the oven.” He spent long hours every night prepping for his classes the next day, but with the help of his caring colleagues, he soon got into the flow of it. These colleagues are what he’ll miss most about Ward Melville. He feels very fortunate to have had such great colleagues.
Among these colleagues are two people who stand out: Mr. Sussin, who helped Mr. Jourdain learn how to teach AP Environmental Science (“[Mr. Sussin] gave me everything he had and took the time to show me everything and teach me the pace of things,” says Mr. Jourdain), and Ms. Williams, with whom he created a “common platform” and revamped the way biology was taught. For him, he felt like this has been a “great cooperation.”
Mr. Jourdain deeply cares about his colleagues, saying that he feels like, “the luckiest teacher in the world because I am able to claim to have two wives and one husband.” He makes this joke with his students at the beginning of every year, referring to Mr. Sussin and Ms. Williams. However, this demonstrates the amount of care and gratefulness Mr. Jourdain feels for his colleagues, students and job.
Students every year love taking classes with Mr. Jourdain because of the liveliness and happiness he brings into the classroom, as well as his goofy sense of humor. Student Ryan Spitzenberger says, “Mr. Jourdain always made class fun and never took things too seriously, so it always felt like a break from the usual school routine.” Mr. Jourdain’s passion is passed to the students. He truly makes his classes fun and enjoyable for all. Another student, Nick Giordano, remarked, “I walk into class every day expecting something interesting and exciting, and Mr. J. always delivers. Mr. J. is by far one of the most engaging teachers at Ward Melville, and is equally profound in his teaching.”
After the first day of taking Mr. Jourdain’s environmental science class, I immediately knew he would be my favorite teacher I’ve had at Ward Melville. I’ve never seen a teacher as caring and devoted to his students as Mr. Jourdain. He genuinely cares about his students and makes learning enjoyable by having us do fun hands-on projects, engaging in deep and meaningful discussions or showing us creative videos that put what we learn about into context. I will truly miss Mr. Jourdain, as he has had such an important role in my high school experience.
Everyone Mr. Jourdain meets is touched by his electric and lively personality. Ward Melville will deeply miss this incredible teacher and friend, and we all look forward to the wonderful things he will do in retirement.
Farewell to Mr. Medina, Fantastic Forecaster
by Katherine Kelton, Copy Editor
Phil Medina, who has worked as a science teacher in Three Village for almost thirty years, is entering retirement. Mr. Medina started as an earth science teacher at Murphy Jr. High School, where he taught for 15 years before moving up to Ward Melville as a physics teacher.
Mr. Medina is also known outside of Three Village. Many years ago, he created his own website for all things earth science. He shares, “It became a pretty big deal. It was accessed from all over the world.” From his successful blog, a publisher reached out to him to create his own textbook Homework Helpers: Earth Science, which was published in 2005.
He shared that, from that point on, he became the “go-to guy” for science questions, “People would ask me all the time what’s going on. They’d bring me bags of bugs. ‘What is this bug I see at my house?’ and blurry pictures of something that they saw in the sky and they’re like ‘what is this?’ And particularly right before a storm, people would come up to me constantly asking me if we were going to have a snow day.”
To help with this issue, Mr. Medina created an email list to forecast the likelihood of a snow day: students, parents, teachers and the superintendent all read the predictions. Unfortunately, since he will no longer work in the district next year, and doesn’t live in the community, he has decided to end the snow forecast.
While he will no longer be a science teacher, he hopes to continue learning in retirement. He said, “I’d like to start building some robots from scratch just for the fun of it, see what I could do.”
For current and prospective teachers, he advises that rather than fight to prevent the inevitable student use of AI and other technologies, they should “find ways to use these tools. When students leave school and go out into the real world, they’ll be able to use AI and Google. They should be able to use it while still thinking for themselves and processing the information. These are not replacements for human thinking, they are tools to enhance it.”
From teaching earth science and physics, running the Academic Challenges and Science National Honor Society clubs and keeping Three Village residents updated on snowstorms, Mr. Medina has left a distinct mark on Three Village. He will be missed by all those who had the privilege of learning from him.
Farewell to Mrs. Sementilli, Purposeful Speech Pathologist
by Kate Gmytrasiewicz and Lily De Bei, Chief Financial Officers
As the school year winds down and the class of 2025 prepares to say goodbye, one of our staff members is also getting ready for a farewell of her own. After years of hard work and countless contributions to our community, Mrs. Sementilli is retiring. We had the honor of sitting down with her for a final interview, where she spoke about her career, her favorite memories, and what’s next as she steps into a well-earned retirement.
Mrs. Sementilli has been teaching at Ward Melville for years, leaving a lasting impression on students and teachers alike. Whether through her involvement in student activities, her leadership as the advisor for the Muslim Student Association and the business advisor for Kaleidoscope, or her friendly presence in the hallway, she has touched the lives of so many at Ward Melville.
Her journey as a speech pathologist was inspired by her own family. After witnessing her uncle struggle with speech following a stroke, she knew she wanted to pursue a career where she could make a real difference. That passion became the foundation of the care she’s provided to students ever since.
Mrs. Sementilli’s impact extends far beyond her job description. Her commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment has helped shape the culture of our school. She recalls the countless laughs and adventures with fellow staff members, and the strong bonds she’s formed along the way. “Three Village is a special place,” she said, recalling the importance the warmth of our community played in her decision to stay and develop her career here at Ward Melville.
Looking to the future, she hopes to see education evolve in meaningful ways. When she first began, tools like communication devices were rare in schools, as they were only accepted in more private, divided environments. Now, she’s seen a shift toward inclusion, with students who don’t communicate traditionally using iPads and other assistive technologies right in the classroom. “People are more aware,” she explained, noting how the field has become more language-focused and widely understood. This progress is something she hopes continues long after her retirement.
Mrs. Sementilli shared her belief that learning should become more “mainstream,” not just for classrooms, but integrated into everyday life. Above all, she encourages both students and educators to “keep their minds open” and embrace new possibilities as the world continues to change.
Farewell to Ms. Taliercio, Leader in Literacy
by Kaitlyn Horn and Allie Harrison, Features Editor and Staff Writer
Throughout the past thirty years, Ms. Taliercio has been an essential part of Ward Melville. Now that she’s retiring, she has shared fond memories and favorite parts of teaching, her plans for the future, and life lessons she’s learned and wishes to share.
Even while still in school, Ms. Taliercio has always harbored a love of learning. She said, “I became a teacher because I hoped to encourage students and inspire them to find the light within themselves.” One teacher in particular stands out in her memory: a high school English teacher. Ms. Taliercio stated, “He wrote a long note on the side of one of my essays, and it was the first time I felt truly “seen” as a student.” Ms. Taliercio wanted to have the same impact on her own students.
Considering her particular path in English and Literacy, Ms. Taliercio spoke about how her love of writing guided her to pursue English, and while in college, she chose to focus on literacy. She stated, “In this way, I could help struggling learners to feel empowered by unlocking their individual learning styles and teaching them new ways to learn.”
Some of Ms. Taliercio’s most cherished memories of teaching were when students would visit her classroom during free periods, as she stated, “It was validation that they felt safe with me and that my classroom provided a comfortable, welcoming environment.” However, her favorite aspect of teaching is purpose. She said, “Each day is…a chance to make connections and influence how students feel about themselves. Being a teacher has been a journey of wisdom and compassion, of giving and growing.”
When asked about her plans for the future, Ms. Taliercio knew she wanted to become a published author. She also said, “I plan to spend time volunteering at my friend’s shelter, Save-A-Pet and also at Berkshire Farm Sanctuary for rescued farm animals, for which I currently serve as Board member. Maybe I’ll even open a little thrift shop to support the rescue cause.”
The lessons learned in school aren’t all written in textbooks — and these life lessons can be equally valuable. Ms. Taliercio stated, “I want my students to know that their voice matters. That no matter what their struggles are, they are never alone and that they have the power to achieve their dreams.” Additionally, students aren’t the only ones who learn in school. Ms. Taliercio said, “my students have taught me to be patient and to listen. They have taught me that I am much bigger than any problem I might carry.”
