Next year, Science Department Chair Rebecca Jansing-Kaestner and Spanish teacher Jennifer Medrano will not be returning to teach. 

Jansing-Kaestner will be moving to Nashville because her husband was offered a job there as an airport designer for airports in the Nashville area, after working on BWI for the past few years.

Jansing-Kaestner, originally from Kentucky, is also moving to be closer to her family. “I will be able to take care of my mother-in-law and father-in-law, who aren’t doing too well. I will also get to see my family more often since we will be close by,” Jansing-Kaestner said.

Jansing-Kaestner will also continue to teach. “The school where I will be working at is a lot different from JC. They have a different schedule and different policies,” Jansing-Kaestner said. She will be teaching at Pope John Paul II School, a private, Catholic high school.

Though she is excited for the move, Jansing-Kaestner is also going to miss JC. “I think I’ll miss my workmates and students the most. I will certainly miss Chuck Wilson coming into my classroom and joking, ‘Are you just doing chemistry, or something important?’” Jansing-Kaestner said.

Junior Ashley Hlavac believes that Jansing-Kaestner was an important addition to JC.  “The school will be missing someone important.  She was a great teacher and important to the Science Department.  It will be hard to replace her,” Hlavac said.

According to Jansing-Kaestner, science teacher Julie Baker will be the new head of the Science Department.  She will also take over teaching AP Chemistry and Honors Chemistry.

Jansing-Kaestner may be moving to Tennessee and a new school, but she says she will always love JC. “Over the years, I have enjoyed the company of many.  Lasting friendships have been born from my experience here,” Jansing-Kaestner said.

Jansing-Kaestner has also had a lasting impression on her students.  “I’m sad that she’s leaving. She’s taught me a lot and made me like science more,” junior Rebecca Kotula said.

Students will also have to say “adios” to Medrano, who is moving to Xalapa, Mexico with her family.  Medrano has been a teacher for eleven years at JC. 

“I am sad because I was looking forward to having her for AP Spanish,” junior Jimmy Knell said. 

Medrano, like Jansing-Kaestner, is moving because of job opportunities.  “My husband got a job in Xalapa. He wasn’t actively seeking, it just happened and it was a really great opportunity,” Medrano said.  

Medrano’s husband is from the Mexican state Veracruz, where Xalapa is the capital.  

“I’ll miss the people, like the faculty and students. I’ll also miss my family, especially my grandparents because they can’t travel,” Medrano said.

Ashley Beyer is a Lifestyles Editor and Maggie Cassidy is the Print Chief for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.