February marks the end of guidance counselor Rosa Baer’s 40 years at Susquehannock and the beginning of her traveling years.
After not only being a counselor, but also spending years teaching at Susquehannock, Baer has decided to retire and focus on planning other activities such as traveling beginning in May of this year.
“We [Baer and her husband] have a wedding to go to in Texas in May. We’re headed for Springfield, Ohio in June. We’re looking at going to Hawaii,” said Baer. “There are two states that we haven’t been in, Hawaii and the other one is Oregon. So I’d like to go to Hawaii and Oregon sometime in the near future.”
In the fall of 1973, Baer accepted a job at Susquehannock thinking it would only be temporary. After just a few years as a teacher here, she decided she couldn’t leave.
“I came here from Maryland,” said Baer. “I thought I would teach here for a couple of years and then go to Maryland, but after a couple years I gave up looking because I love the people.”
Since 1973, Baer has been impacting students through her teaching, guidance, and coaching. She has represented our school not only in the classroom, but also in athletics. Baer has coached three sports: softball, basketball and volleyball. She taught for seven years and then became a guidance counselor to be even more involved with her students during their time in high school, selecting a college, and beyond.
“I taught French for seven years here,” said Baer. “That’s one of the reasons I got into guidance because I had students for 2, 3, 4 years, and I just love my students.”
Baer is one of our four guidance counselors that devote their time to making sure every student achieves their goals during high school, college, and in life. While much of Baer’s work, provided during meetings with students, is behind the scenes, it does not go unnoticed. Students here at Susquehannock have gone above and beyond what they have set out to achieve because of Baer’s influence.
Baer has assisted countless students through the graduation and college process like junior Kevin Chick. He has had Baer as a guidance counselor for three years, and while on the college search, has realized her influence and guidance.
“She’s helped me find out what I need to do,” said Chick. “So I wasn’t blind when applying to college.”
Baer has also had a huge impact on Abbey Barnhart, especially during her senior year. Deciding on a schedule as a senior is tough for a student going into their fourth year at Susquehannock, but Baer has made sure each of her students qualify for graduation and carry out their goals for their high school career.
“She has helped me get prepared for college by making sure my schedule was good this year and helping me with transcripts,” said Barnhart.
Baer has surrounded herself with the Susquehannock community for 40 years and has enjoyed every aspect of her time here.
“I will definitely miss the people,” said Baer. “The students have been great. I enjoyed teaching, I enjoyed being counselor, I enjoyed the staff. Even working with the parents-that will be the main thing I will miss.”
Although Baer will retire this February and will begin traveling in May, her home will always be at Susquehannock where she has positively affected so many.
