Gardiner Fiske, Margaret Judges and Rick Brown will retire at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. Below are three features on each faculty member and their impact on the high school and the entire Walpole community.

Gardiner Fiske, Physics Teacher

Fiske is retiring from teaching physics at WHS after 12 years of teaching here. He began his WHS career in 2007.

“Mr. Fiske eats, sleeps and breathes physics,” Science Department Head Maryellen O’Malley said. “He can always point you in the right direction or give you help.”

At WHS, Fiske has taught multiple AP Physics classes in addition to Honors and CP1 Physics. He has continuously been a role model for the entirety of the science department during his years at WHS.

“Over the last few years the science education has been moving to an inquiry-based, student-centered classroom,” O’Malley said. “Mr. Fiske has been doing that for years so he was somebody we could all look to during that process.”

At the 2019 National Honor Society Induction on May 14, Fiske was inducted as an honorary member. In addition, Fiske was recognized as a special educator by senior Gautam Narayan.

“The hands-on approach that Mr. Fiske utilized to teach Physics really helped me understand the subject a lot better,” Narayan said. “He was very supportive throughout the year, and he will definitely be missed next year.”

Rick Brown, ESP

Brown is an educational support professional at WHS who assists students in completing homework, taking a test or helping with taking notes for a particular class. He has worked at WHS for five years, but has worked in the Walpole Public School (WPS) system for 16 years. He also worked at Bird Middle School for three years and Daniel Feeney Preschool for eight years prior to that. Brown was a sports reporter for 15 years and then wrote manuals and proposals for a defense contractor before working in the WPS system. In addition to working in the high school, Brown is an integral part of the Walpole Media Corporation. He is on the Board of Directors and is the sports director for Walpole Media and frequently does play-by-play for WHS sports games.

“His biggest impact is his dedication to helping Walpole Media grow,” Station Manager Peter O’Farrell said. “The sports coverage is 100 percent organized by him, so that’s a huge benefit.”

Although he is retiring from WHS, Brown will continue with Walpole Media and plans to increase the amount of games he covers throughout athletic seasons. Additionally, Brown hopes to visit his children and grandchildren during his retirement.

“I will be continuing to do play-by-play on cable TV for WHS sports,” Brown said. “Next year, I’ll have time to do cover five days a week. It’s something I really enjoy doing.”

Margaret Judges, Special Education Department Chair

Judges has worked at WHS for two years, but has been in education for 43 years. Prior to WHS, she has worked in Boston, Baltimore and Key West. Judges manages the Special Education Department and leads the department in curriculum and special education responsibility. Her 43-person department holds the most faculty members at WHS. Additionally, she develops Individualized Educational Plans. In addition to being a faculty member at the school, outside of school, Judges enjoys sailing with her husband. During her retirement, she plans to travel and spend time with her three grandchildren.

“I was so fortunate to work with so many staff and students here,” Judges said. “That is the nicest part of the job—everyone is so collaborative.”