After 37 years of on-and-off teaching with a total of 31 years under her belt, and the last 16 at Coronado, Ms. Gerlach, a longtime cornerstone of the English Department is retiring this year. She looks back on her time fondly, saying that she really does love the job, since “whatever we do is different each day, it’s always new, it’s always challenging, interesting, and exciting.”

Her favorite moments teaching are when “students come back after graduation to visit and tell that I made a difference to them” saying, in particular, she likes when the classes she taught make college classes more approachable. Despite being excited for some well deserved time off, Ms. Gerlach “will miss the kids” particularly because “sometimes you have to appear stern, but I adore every single one, even the stinkers.”  She says she’ll particularly miss them because “they have always challenged me to think and react and be aware.”

From here, she plans to start traveling and has an ambitious bathroom remodel planned. One of the aspects of per retirement that she is most excited for is to “take all the classes I never had the time to take, like art and jewelry making and history.”

Before she starts her travel plans and gets to further her own education, be sure to stop in and say goodbye!