From The Past To The Present: How Teachers Connect The Community

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By Madi Mason
Student Intern

The teachers of Severna Park High School’s past, present and future all have one thing in common: their ability to bridge generations and make lasting connections with students and their families. As many students have passed through the halls of SPHS over the years, teachers have provided the Severna Park community with familiar faces. Some stay for decades and educate hundreds of teenagers.

Tim Dunbar has taught multiple generations of the same family, and this is his 36th teaching at SPHS. From U.S. History to AP Economics, Dunbar has taught many social studies classes and many students since he started in 1983.

“I think the longer I’ve been here, the more I feel a part of the community even though I don’t live here,” he said. “I see old students around, some of which are now parents who are bringing their kids to volleyball games or any school activity, and it gives me a different view of the community. If you’re involved in the school, you’re ultimately involved in the community too.”

After going to SPHS as a student, Sue Hannahs began her teaching career in 1976 and returned to SPHS in 1991.

“There’s quite a few teachers who went to school here,” she said. “It’s so personal because we have a lot of pride in Severna Park and want to see it to continue to do well.”

Hannahs has taught biology, AP Environmental Science, and chemistry.

Her deeply rooted ties to our town grow every year.

“I constantly find new connections to the families here,” she said. “In many ways, Severna Park is like a small town and everyone knows each other.”

Whether they’ve been teaching for 36 years or one, teachers at SPHS work hard every day to build lasting connections within the high school and the community. As 2018 comes to a close, we can all look back upon the remarkable impact Severna Park’s teachers have made over the past 58 years. So, to the teachers — thank you from the students of Severna Park’s past, present and future.

Severna Park High School, Sue Hannahs

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