“My ultimate goal when I walk out of here is that God can put his arm around me and say, ‘well done’,” said Hammond.
Chad Hammond, an English Language Arts (ELA) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teacher, has been a part of the Northwest Community for 25 years and continues to play a key role in the lives of his peers and students.
For eight years, Hammond has used his knowledge in the English department to teach and support the STEM program. However, on November 26th, 2024, Hammond will retire.
At the start of his college career, Hammond planned to go into sports medicine but soon realized that handling blood was not a part of his skill set, so he shifted his career path.
Hammond’s parents were teachers, and six of his mother’s seven siblings also became teachers.
“I watched how my parents interacted with kids in the hallways and I saw it motivated them to achieve success in everything they did,” said Hammond.
Katie Christner, an 11th-grade English teacher and former STEM teacher, is a close friend of Hammond and has seen him impact the Northwest Community. Christner has known Hammond since beginning her teaching career at Northwest in August 2018. Since then, Hammond has helped her to understand and build the course materials while aiding Christner in visualizing what English looks like in a STEM environment.
On his character, she says “He’s a squirrel.”
Although his spontaneity can sometimes be confusing, she believes everything he does is for the benefit of his students. Over the years she and Hammond have bounced ideas off each other to improve their teaching methods.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” said Christner.
Christner will deeply miss her colleague, yet she can not help but feel happy that he is doing what is best for him and his family.
Senior Aiden Tucker has been a student in STEM since the beginning of his high school career and is saddened by Hammond’s retirement.
Through STEM and Hammond’s guidance, Tucker has vastly improved his machining and maintenance knowledge. On top of this, Hammond helped Tucker branch out and meet new friends he otherwise would have never made.
“He’s impacted my life so much from my freshman year to now, it’s upsetting,” said Tucker.
As for why Hammond is retiring, although he loves teaching and making connections with his students, he has been allowed to explore another passion of his, construction. Going along with this new position in construction, retirement will allow Hammond to have more time with his family.
“I’m a dad number one,” said Hammond. “Sure, I’m going to be doing construction, but my family is number one.”
By retiring from teaching and starting a new career, Hammond can still do something he loves and support his family more while doing it. He believes the new job will put him in a better mental state to help his family, but Hammond is not the only Hammond roaming the halls of Northwest.
His Daughter, Junior Kennedi Hammond, has had her high school experience completely changed by the presence of her father. Through his kindness and outgoingness, she believes that he provides support for both students and teachers alike.
“…It is very encouraging, it gives me something to look forward to in my day,” said Kennedi Hammond.
Granted, she is disappointed about not being able to see her father at school, but she knows he is doing what is best for him.
“I’m happy to see he is happy leaving, but I think it is going to be hard for myself and all of his other students,” said Kennedi Hammond.
According to the Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research article Impacts of a Research Experiences for Teachers Program on Rural STEM Educators, rural schools have much higher shortages of STEM teachers. To counteract that, the school is taking precautions to ensure there is someone just as qualified as Hammond to take his place.
“I can’t tell you, but if it’s the person who said they’d take his place, then they have experience in the English department,” said Christner
Hammond will greatly miss being able to teach and help out around the Northwest community, but he is confident that the school will continue to grow and improve as time goes on.
