In 1991, I walked into a Chardon classroom for the first time. I couldn’t have known then just how deeply this school district—and this town—would become a part of who I am.
Over the years, my wife and I have built our life here. We’ve found not just a home, but a community that has welcomed us, supported us, and helped us grow in ways too numerous to count. We also raised our child here—who I had the unique privilege of teaching not once, but twice in my own classroom, and who is herself a proud graduate of Chardon High School. That experience, both as a teacher and a parent, only deepened my appreciation for the heart of this district.
In the course of my teaching career, I’ve had the honor of working with somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,000 students. In recent weeks, many of them—some just graduated, others from years ago—have reached out with handwritten notes, emails, or kind words wishing me a happy retirement. Their thoughtfulness has touched me deeply. Knowing that something from our time together stayed with them, enough to prompt a message, sometimes years later, is one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of my life.
To all 34 years of students, thank you for your curiosity, your resilience, and your trust. To the parents, thank you for sharing your children and your partnership. To my fellow teachers, thank you for your camaraderie, creativity, support, collaborations and dedication to the work. To the administrators and board members, thank you for guiding and supporting the work we do every day.
This work has been the delight of my life. I’ve been lucky enough to make a living as a storyteller—sharing the sweeping, complex, and often inspiring stories of American history and geography. Stories of human triumphs, failures, redemption, and of the victories that emerge when 'We the People' have had the courage to learn from our mistakes. It’s been a privilege to help students find themselves in the larger story of this country and its people and places. Making connections between the past and the present, and helping students see themselves as part of the unfolding story of humanity, has been more of an honor than I can adequately express.
Thank you, all of you, for making this journey so meaningful.
With gratitude, affection, and blessings to you all,
Dwight Goss
