Yuka Noda
Staff Writer
Here at Costa, some teachers are well known for their rumored rigorous classes. Near the top of the list stands Charlotte Shales-Clark with her chemistry classes.
Shales-Clark has taught honors and advanced chemistry courses since 2000 after she received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry in 1984 from UCLA. She plans to retire in the coming spring, at the end of the 2013-14 year
“Shales-Clark is a great teacher,” junior Blake Smith said. “I’ll miss her, but I’m happy that she’s moving on to pursue her happiness.”
Shales-Clark plans to retire to her newly pending home in Rio, located in northern Nevada with two and a half acres of land.
“We’ve put out the offer for the house by Washoe Lake in northern Nevada,” Shales-Clark said. “There’s a panoramic view of the mountains and it’s also by the golf course. I’m going to have my own office.”
Due to the many changes at Costa these past few years such as the changing curriculum and the construction, and also with her health, Shales-Clark contemplates retirement along with the graduation of her daughter, senior Jeselle Clark.
“This past year my family has joked that we will all retire together: my parents from work and me from high school,” senior Jeselle Clark said. “My mother hasn’t been well for my entire life, and its amazing that I am practically being reintroduced to her.”
After her retirement, Shales-Clark plans to go on vacation to various places, such as the Yellowstone National Park, Mount. Rushmore, and the Smithsonian Museum. Aside from her long vacation, she plans to spend her time camping and writing editorials for science magazines or newspapers.
“My husband used to pilot a private airplane, so after I retire, we’re planning to get a plane so we can fly over to places,” Shales Clark said.
Although she is looking forward to her retirement, Shales-Clark states that she will miss teaching here at Costa and seeing her students everyday. According to Shales-Clark the best part about teaching is going on a journey together with the students.
“I love how the kids come in and they don’t know squat although they think they know a lot, and watching them get it,” Shales-Clark said. “It’s like they’re piecing together the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. And in June, they know so much more about chemistry than they ever did before.”
According to Shales-Clark, she plans on setting up a Facebook page or coming up with a way for her students to contact her in the future, even when they graduate from Costa or if they need a letter of recommendation.
“Shales-Clark is one of the best science teachers I ever had,” sophomore Cathy Miao said. “I’m glad I got to know her before she left. I’ll definitely be contacting her in the future.”
Although Shales-Clark plans to retire this coming spring, due to the lagging negotiation, the district is unable to declare her retirement as an official retirement. With her retirement, there will be a pending discussion on who would teach advanced chemistry class next year.
“If the union can’t come to an agreement, I’ll be teaching here again next year,” Shales-Clark said.
With her year at Costa coming to a wrap, Shales-Clark is aiming to get a 100% pass rate on the advanced placement testing this May. She had come close in the years past with a 98% pass rate, with one student failing the exam.
“Shales-Clark definetlt helped e prepare well for the AP test by having multiple study sessions and study materials like the past exam worksheets,” senior Kirk La said.
Leave a Reply