The end of the school year means a lot of things for different people, but it also marks the time of year when we have to say goodbye to some of our beloved staff members who are leaving or retiring. One such member of the Coronado Family is Mrs. Watson-Ulrich who is leaving after this year and packing up to move to Alaska.
Mrs. Watson-Ulrich has been a member of the Coronado teaching faculty for seven years now but has been a part of the school for eleven years as a member of the coaching staff for the Coronado track and field team. The end of this year will also mark the end of her tenth year as a teacher.
During her time at Coronado, Mrs. Watson-Ulrich has taught a wide variety of classes but has focused primarily on freshman English, with the addition of a senior English class this past year. She says that her favorite part of teaching freshman English is getting to teach Romeo and Juliet, as it is a staple for the many students that have passed through her room. In addition to teaching, Mrs. Watson-Ulrich has been a big part of the athletic community here at Coronado as a tenured member of the track and field coaching staff and as a cross-country coach for six years. Additionally, she took on the added duty of head cheer coach this past year.
As someone who has seen thousands of students pass through the Coronado hallways, Mrs. Watson-Ulrich has observed firsthand how Coronado has changed over the years; “I think it actually really improved. I know we had a couple of years where we were really working on changing the culture and making it a positive place to be, and I think that it is now.”
Some of her most cherished memories at Coronado include going to the state track and cross country meets as well as bringing groups of freshmen out of their proverbial shells during Romeo and Juliet. The biggest takeaway she has from her time at Coronado is that “everybody is fighting a battle and you never know what someone is going through, so try to approach people with kindness-especially those who don’t ask for kindness in great ways, as they are often the people who need it the most.”
Next year, Mrs. Watson-Ulrich will be continuing her teaching career in Wasilla, Alaska at Wasilla High School, where she will continue to teach English. She and her husband plan to start a small homestead and teach horseback riding lessons to people in the area.
As far as parting words of wisdom go, Mrs. Watson-Ulrich had this to say: “It’s not as important how you begin the race, it matters how you finish it. Especially towards the end of the year, making sure you stay committed and that you stay tough instead of giving up or relaxing a little bit. And as my students would know, always make good choices!”
We wish Mrs. Watson-Ulrich luck as she begins this exciting new chapter of her life.