With the 2024-2025 school year coming to a close, the class of 2025 are not the only members of Skyline saying goodbye. Various teachers and teacher assistants at Skyline are taking the next step in their lives into retirement.
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Kristen Winter has taught Psychology at Skyline for 11 years and has inspired many students to continue their studies in Psychology after high school.
“I come from a long line of educators, and it was truly my passion. I was ecstatic about becoming a teacher and working with high school students. I have gotten multiple college degrees, worked in alternative education, Ypsilanti Public Schools, and charter schools. Education is constantly changing, and I’ve been able to experience many types of learning environments. [After I retire] I still plan to work, but I’m not sure yet what that will be. I’ve considered corporate training, education-based corporations, curriculum design consulting, and even starting my own business. But I plan to enjoy my summer! I’ve had the privilege of crossing paths with some amazing people who have enhanced who I am and who I strive to be. Best wishes to Skyline staff and students.”
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Michael LeCloux was a founding teacher at Skyline and has been a special education teacher here for 17 years, as well as the proud parent of two graduates. Known for his patience and follow-through in supporting students, his steady presence will be missed.
“Skyline has been a great capstone on my career. I have watched the school grow and transform throughout the years as leadership has changed. The spirit of this school seems to have stayed intact. Students will always be at the forefront here. During my Junior year of college, my passion for learning seemed to translate to teaching in public schools. My first year of substitute teaching was in special education, and I knew I found my calling. I earned a master’s degree in special education, and the rest is history. My next chapter includes fishing, hunting, camping, boating, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. I also plan to learn some new skills and make a little money.”
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Jill Runstrom has taught English at Skyline for the last 5 years. Known for her abundance of human kindness and love of writing, Runstrom will be missed.
“[After this school year] I am gonna take a short time off because both of my children are finished with college and are going to be moving to a different state, so I am going to help them get settled. Then I plan on trying to find a different career for a while. I was undecided about what I wanted to do for a career. My mother was a teacher, and she recommended that it was a good career and thought I would be good at it. So i would give it a try, and it turned out to be a pretty good job. [My advice would be] I would say continue to work hard at your studies and what you find interesting in your life. And to stay curious about the world and involved in what you feel is important. And don’t be afraid to stand up and say what you think and stand up for what you believe in, because it’s important.”
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Teaching Assistant Merritt Scheffler was a founding staff member when Skyline opened in 2008. Skyline will miss Scheffler’s strong support of students, always tempered with a sense of humor.
Scheffler advises students “to try and make each day something enjoyable for you and other students. And I know that everybody says form relationships, but it definitely works. I infuse a lot of humor into my teaching. Just be yourself. I’m going to travel a little bit more. Puerto Rico is probably my first adventure in November. And I might work part-time, maybe 10 hours or so per week. I might even come back and sub next year. My mother was a teacher in AAPS. My uncle, aunt, and father were all connected in education and special ed since I was a kid. So I’ve been exposed to wonderful things since I was 10 years old, so I think I just kind of blossomed into it. I owned a restaurant when I decided to go back to school. I started kind of late. We started out with just 9th graders. 18-17 years ago. It was really quiet. It was weird being in a new building that was being built, but it was kind of cool to see how it was being built. I have been in education since 2002.”
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Penny Hedman has been teaching for 28 years. Known for her sense of humor, excellent cooking, and amazing salsa, Hedman will be missed.
“I’m a teaching assistant and I work with special needs kids. If I didn’t like it, then I was in the wrong field. When I came to the district, I was at Haisley. Then I came over to Skyline and I have been here ever since. Growing up, I had a special needs sister. I could get her to do things that nobody else could just by communication and working with her. When my kids were born I really didn’t want a “9-5 job.” I wanted something i could do and be on their schedule. So that’s when I started being a lunch lady. I was a lunch lady for approximately 8 years. And that’s when i went into the classroom. And I’ve been in the classroom ever since. I never thought I’d get to the finish line. One time, someone told me why on earth would you go work for the schools. You’re never going to have a retirement. Well, who’s laughing now! [When I retire] I plan on doing a little fly fishing. I plan on getting caught up on that ‘cause that’s a true outdoor passion of mine. Also the salsa business, I want it to go to the next level. For those that know, they know. For those that don’t, I’m sorry. [My advice would be to] stay on the grind, it eventually eases up. Do you, don’t let anybody influence you. Be the best image of yourself because there’s nobody else that is going to be you.”
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Scholar and poet Sat Paul Goyal has been in the education field since 1974. Goyal will be missed for his thoughtful words and composed manner.
“I taught English Literature in India before coming to Ann Arbor and South Asian Languages at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University for 2 years before joining AAPS. I’m a teacher’s assistant. I help with the department of special education. From the very beginning, I was interested in languages. Like in India, families expect you to do something good. Don’t worry about work, finish your education first then think about work. There’s a whole lot of family support. My journey has been a long haul. So many turning points as well as challenges. So each challenge has brought some new opportunities. I immigrated in 1993 from India. I worked in the testing center at Washtenaw Community College. This [retiring] is the biggest excitement. I don’t want to have any big plans. I want to have some freedom. Maybe travel, go to India, write more books, and help other people to publish their work. Academic pursuit has been at the heart at whatever I’ve done, and it will continue.”
