Mr.+Rock's+Retirement

Robert Rock, renown social studies teacher on Phoenix Team, has decided to retire at the end of this year. “Something inside of me told me it was time. I want to go visit the places I have taught my students about for years.” He told me. After 42 years of teaching, he will be dearly missed by Staff and students.

Mr. Rock runs the flag football program here at Hunt, as well as the much loved Sci-Fi club. He is also an asset to the Jazz club, playing annually in the talent show with Mr. Olzenak and the student members.

“My favorite part of Hunt is the students. Definitely the students.”he said. Mr. Rock has taught entire families, teaching parents, and then about twenty years or so later, receiving their kids. “From 1974 to 2016 this adds up to thousands and thousands of students.”

Mr. Rock, born and raised in Burlington, Vermont, graduated from UVM in 1974, the same year he began teaching at Hunt. He then went on to get his masters in education, which he achieved in 1991.

“I wanted to become a teacher, because I did not always love my teachers growing up, and I knew I could do a better job.” According to a few of his 2016 students, he has definitely done a wonderful job:

“Mr. Rock has taught me to always believe, no matter what the situation.” ~Gabi

“Mr. Rock is a cool fellow, and definitely one of the coolest teachers I will ever have.”~Bety

“When I first moved here from Columbia, Mr. Rock was a huge help getting me settled at Hunt.” ~Philippe

Mr. Rock’s favorite thing to teach his students is how to be a good citizen. He also loves to teach them to respect other people, no matter their race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, political status etc. According to Mr. Rock, his students are not the only ones learning when they come to school. “I know what the right thing to do is, and I know how to respect people.” He told me.

He will also miss hearing about all the new books from his students. Books such as __Twlight, Divergent, Hunger Games,__ and __Fifth wave,__ that Mr. Rock thoroughly enjoyed. He enjoys finding out what books his students are reading, and reading them himself, so he can discuss them with his students. “I am one hundred percent Team Edward.” He said.

When he leaves next year, Mr. Rock will travel all around Europe with his wife Marie, visiting various relatives of his. He also wishes to go to Egypt and Japan to see the temples and pyramids etc. Although he will be busy traveling, Mr. Rock says he will come back and visit occasionally, and maybe even continue to play in the jazz club.

Although in two years, the students at Hunt will not have known Mr. Rock themselves, they will hear of his legacy. There will be a library corner dedicated to all Star Wars books and Sci-Fi books, which were the favorite of Mr. Rock. As aforementioned, he ran the Sci-Fi club. This club met weekly and was a place Mr. Rock could share his love of Star Wars with his students. He did this in other ways throughout the year. On Halloween, he wears a Star Wars costume, and of course there is also his and Mr. O’s annual Star Wars rendition.

When he goes at the end of the school year, Mr Rock will be missed by all for his humor and kindness, which is famous throughout the school, even for those who don't have him directly as a teacher.