The iconic senior handprints that line the walls throughout our historic school have become a tradition that each class looks forward to as they get closer to graduation. Now, teachers also have the chance to leave their mark on our school as they retire and move on to a new chapter in their lives.

This brand new addition to our existing tradition, entitled “It Takes a Village,” was formulated last year by principal Michelle Luttrell. She said that after discussing the idea with the family of a 2022 graduate the idea came to mind, and she pitched it to staff members, which evidently gained major support.

Student activities coordinator Matthew Prince summarizes the overall intended impact of the developing handprint wall as a time capsule-esque feature to our school. “The purpose of the wall is just to remind us that there were educators before us that came here that helped to create the culture that exists in the school,” said Prince. “A positive one,” he added.

“It Takes a Village” was first initiated with a handprint contributed from retired Environmental Science teacher Felicity Francis. Luttrell had confronted Francis with this opportunity, which she was beyond excited about. “Being the first was a humbling experience,” Francis wrote. She broadcasted her support for her past colleagues, stating that she wishes they would’ve had this opportunity.

“It Takes a Village” is located on a wall within the library, which Francis finds to be monumental due to the help from our librarians. “Our librarians have been instrumental in helping my students with developing and researching their projects, and with my AP Environmental Science students writing their children’s books on ‘Climate Change’,” wrote Francis.

While Francis was shocked to become the first handprint on the retired teacher wall, this came as no surprise to past and present members of our school community. Francis has been a key component to the development of our school’s Science department for the past 38 years. Becoming an educator after her prior environmental consulting firm folded, she began to work in the field of substitute teaching. A year later, the administration at the school where she worked encouraged Francis to explore a career as a science teacher.

She first arrived at LCHS with a proposal to add an Earth Science Program to the curriculum.”I was on the committee that wrote the course outline for the Environmental Science class (Environmental Explorations),” wrote Francis. Up until her retirement as of last year, she had taught the Earth Science class throughout all of her time spent at the school as well as AP Environmental Science when it was added as a course in 2015.

Although Francis is a beloved Science teacher with both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in the subject of Environmental Sciences, she was also active as a coach for the cross country team and the girls’ track team. “I coached track for five years, cross-country for 10 years, and was a classroom science teacher for 38 years, all at LCHS!” she wrote.

Francis advises future teachers to “Be passionate about what you do, what you teach, and at all times be sure to communicate to students that they are why you are here,” she wrote, “Bring compassion, energy and enthusiasm to the classroom.”