A passionate teacher, a beloved colleague, an inspiring friend: Spanish teacher Susan Peterson left an indelible mark on Morgan student and faculty. With a heavy heart she leaves The Morgan School on Friday, September 30, 2022. She moved to Rhode Island recently, and she has spent the last month commuting 45 minutes between school and home. After some time commuting, an opportunity for a new teaching job arose close to her new home. She made the difficult decision to take up the new job and leave Morgan: “I feel like I made the right decision for myself, but it’s not been easy, and I’ll miss it here because I’m a husky.”

In her almost 19 years teaching Spanish as part of the Morgan family, Ms. Peterson has served as a class advisor, served as advisor for the Spanish National Honor Society, helped organize Dodge for a Difference, and worked on several school committees. Ms. Peterson shared that she will always remember two school trips to Spain in April 2015 and April 2018, respectively, which she organized and chaperoned. She said she was nervous at first, but it all went “like clockwork.” She remembered watching with pride as students spoke Spanish in a market. While reflecting on Ms. Peterson’s spearheading the move to restart international trips, Spanish teacher Laura Luther shared, “Giving students authentic experiences was life-changing for many.”

Understanding that freshmen new to Morgan may feel nervous or shy, Ms. Peterson welcomed her students, creating a safe and warm environment in her classroom. Whether she was complimenting someone’s shoes in the hall or cracking jokes in the classroom, her sparkling energy radiated in any room she entered. Mrs. Luther remarked that “her lively classes and fun personality made all students want to have her as a teacher.” Ms. Peterson said that she loved everyday moments with students, such as the look in their eyes when they finally understood a concept and the laughs she shared with classes. She shared, “students don’t always remember the verb endings that you teach them in ten years, but they do remember how you made them feel.”

Ms. Peterson explained that she hopes to continue making connections at her new school as she did with her students here at Morgan. “You have to kind of access these skills as a teacher,” she said. “I hope I can do that again.”

Teaching Spanish for almost 19 years, brightening students’ days with positive attitude, building connections with students and teachers: Ms. Peterson is a light to the Morgan family. As Mrs. Luther put it, “She will be missed by all of us who had the opportunity to know her.” Reflecting on her time at Morgan, Ms. Peterson concluded, “I hope everyone knows what a special place this is and what a special place this is for me.”