Lewis leaves for Dawson

With student work littering her classroom and students crowding around her desk to chat with her well after the bell rings for lunch, it’s easy to see that senior English teacher Shatina Lewis cares deeply about her students and her work.

This week, after teaching both senior AP/GT and on-level English for five years here at the senior high, Lewis will be transitioning to Dawson Middle School where she will serve as assistant principal.

“This has been my dream,” Lewis said. “I want to be a principal, I want to get my doctorate, I want to be a professor of education, I want to help train new teachers to be effective in a classroom. That part excites me; this is a next step for me. It’s a dream that’s becoming a reality.”

Although this is an exciting new chapter in Lewis’ life, students and teachers alike have mixed emotions about her departure.

“She would tell you exactly how you’re doing and give you direct tips for improvement,” senior Taylor Cubit said. “She was also very dedicated and open about her job and her life values. When I found out Ms. Lewis was leaving, I was very disappointed, but soon very happy. I think Ms. Lewis will do great as an AP at Dawson.”

Even though she will no longer spend her days across the hall from Lewis, economics teacher Caitlin Frank knows that their relationship won’t change once Lewis transitions to Dawson.

“I am extremely lucky to have Ms. Lewis as not only a coworker but as a true friend,” Frank said. “She has guided me through countless teaching and life dilemmas with a strong moral compass.”

As Lewis is leaving part-way through the semester, librarian Sarah Chase will be taking over her English classes until the end of the year.

“I’m excited about it,” Chase said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the classroom. I’m not really sure what to expect, but I’m excited to discuss literature.”

The little day-to-day quirks that make the senior high special are what Lewis says she will miss most, but she is looking forward to making an impact on a different age group at Dawson.

“I’m going to miss the cookout with Mr. Duhon, I’m going to miss the student council making us pancakes, I’m going to miss all those little things,” Lewis said. “But I’m looking forward to the fact that I can just talk to kids about what they want their next step to be. I’m looking forward to those conversations.”