With the school year drawing to an end, teachers at Walpole Public Schools (WPS) will again be ending their education careers. This year, 10 teachers are retiring between the six schools. Each teacher has left their own mark on the school system and will be fondly remembered for years to come.

Seventh grade social studies teacher Lisa Goldman will be ending her 22 year teaching career at the end of this year. Goldman, who taught at Bird Middle School as well as its successor Walpole Middle School, became a teacher following careers in public housing and the girl scouts. She decided to switch to teaching in 2004, believing it would be a rewarding experience. At the middle school, on top of teaching social studies, Goldman was in charge of the student council. She will be remembered for her city-state game during the Ancient Greece unit of the curriculum as well as her constant emphasis of the importance of teaching kindness to her students.

“I will miss seeing a student find their way throughout the year and learning how to be not only a good student, but a really thoughtful, independent thinking student,” Goldman said.

Lisa Rizzo, another retiree, has been teaching in Walpole for the past 30 years. After short stints at both Boyden and Fisher Elementary School, Rizzo settled into the school she would spend the next 22 years teaching third grade at, Elm Street. Rizzo wanted to teach all her life, running a preschool in her house before ultimately making the jump to WPS. Her passion for teaching never faltered, continually trying to make a difference in the lives of her children.

“I am most proud of the impact I have had on my students,” Rizzo said. “When former students come back and tell me a memory they have, or something I said or did to help them, or when my third graders develop a passion for reading, that makes me really proud.”

Also from Elm Street School, Jennifer Torigian will be retiring at the end of the year. Torigian, who formerly taught third grade at Elm, became a math specialist for both Elm and Fisher in 2021, a role she continues to serve in today. Torigian was inspired to teach by her own third grade teacher, wanting to instill the same love for learning in her students that her teacher did in her. She looks forward to reading, travelling and spending time with family in her retirement.

“I hope I have inspired a lifelong love of learning that stays with them long after they leave my classroom,” Torigian said.

Carolyn McDonough will also be retiring at the closing of this year. McDonough always wanted to teach, setting up mock classrooms in her house as a child, however, she ultimately spent the early parts of her adult life focusing on her family. In 2002, when her children completed their own schooling, McDonough went back to college to resume her teaching journey. Since then McDonough has taught English learning students at Fisher Elementary.

“I have loved getting to know our families who moved here from other countries,” McDonough said. “They have so much to offer and have such interesting stories to share. I feel as though I have made a difference for at least some of them.”

Education Support Specialist Carol Hazerijan will be leaving Walpole Middle School come summer. After a career in business, Hazerijan made the switch to teaching as she had always hoped to, jumping from class to class in the middle school, helping students whenever necessary. Hazerijan’s ultimate goal throughout her career remained to be helping each of the students she worked with succeed.

“Knowing that I helped make school a little easier for a student who was struggling was truly rewarding,” Hazerijan said.

Also retiring in 2026 is Elizabeth Giampietro. Giampietro, now a first grade teacher at Fisher School, began her teaching career in 1985. After 15 years at a private preschool, Giampietro switched over to Walpole, first working as an aide at Elm before settling into her position in Fisher. Her passion for teaching and for archaeology were present each day in her teaching. Giampietro also placed a great emphasis on keeping up with modern teaching styles, consistently reading research papers on childhood development.

“I was always fascinated by how young children learn and how quickly they learn,” Giampietro said. “I will miss the wisdom, curiosity, knowledge, stories that students share.”

Walpole High School’s Steven Gibson will be ending his 30 year teaching career this year. Gibson, who originally pursued a legal career, chose to become a teacher due to his love for history and his want to share that with others. Gibson came to Walpole in 1998 and has since taught history classes to students of all ages, teaching Freshman World History and Sophomore U.S. History this year. Gibson looks forward to pursuing travel, genealogy and home improvement in his retirement.

“The challenge of engaging students in the subject and helping them better understand history has been rewarding,” Gibson said.

The only Old Post Road faculty member retiring this year is fifth grade teacher Shawn Gough. Gough, who also serves as the Walpole High School  boys tennis coach, began teaching in 1990. He had always dreamt of being a teacher, choosing his ultimate career path in kindergarten. He will look back fondly on both his time in the classroom and his time out of it when he led activities like gatorball, math day and holiday movie night.

“I teach 5th grade because I truly love kids and enjoy working with them every day. I enjoy helping students build confidence, discover their strengths, and prepare for the next chapter of middle school,” Gough said. 

Nancy Henri has been working within Walpole Public Schools since 2003; this year will be her last. Henri has served as an aid for English learning students at both the middle school and high school. 

“Working with the students and fantastic staff has been very rewarding,” Henri said.

Todd Chamberlain will be ending his 15 year teaching career this year. After shifting paths away from business, Chamberlain began teaching sixth grade math at Johnson Middle School. In his career, he hoped to make his students enjoy coming to math class. Chamberlain looks forward to playing tennis, managing his portfolio, travelling and hiking during retirement.

“By teaching in a way where students are not just memorizing, but they truly can say ‘Yeah, I get that.  That makes sense to me,’ then you have them hooked and an environment is created where learning takes place,” Chamberlain said. “That is the essence of good teaching.”