Hope Showley retires after 35 years at RHS

Long-time Rochester High School teacher Hope Showley is turning the page for a new chapter in her life this year, officially retiring after 35 years in education.

Showley announced her reassignment during a Rochester School Board meeting last week, ending her teaching career at the end of the 2025 school year. She started at Rochester High School in 1991 teaching choir, a class she would remain teaching until 2012, when she switched to teaching English. 

As the years went on, Showley watched generations pass through her classrooms, teaching her about life in another aspect. Having a passion for working with youth, Showley said establishing and continuing a bond with her students and watching them grow was both heart-warming and bittersweet. 

"As a teacher you just have to have patience. Over the years I've learned it doesn't matter the generation, kids all struggle with the same things in every era. It's hard to be a teenager. It's even harder now to be a teenager. You just have to have patience. My students have taught me a lot, and I admire them for being a teen and dealing with the struggles. They give me hope for the future," Showley said. 

When asked about her plans for the future, Showley said she hopes to still connect with local youth by volunteering at the Outlet Youth Center in Rochester. Showley said she will also continue to worry about the state of public education and plans to still advocate and fight for public education in the future as much as she can.