By Andrew Rowan and Shelby Deibler
Middle School advisor and teacher Kathi Bernard will retire this summer after teaching math for 21 years at Moorestown Friends School, Head of School Julia de la Torre announced Wednesday.
“It’s time to move on to the next phase,” said Bernard. She said she plans to spend more time with her husband, who has been retired for two years.
She has taught all of the Middle School math courses throughout her years at MFS. “Middle Schoolers are still at that phase where their attitudes can be modified,” Bernard said. “I like to be in the phase where I can help mold what’s happening in students.”
Bernard arrives to school each morning at 6 a.m. and is known for the “extra practice” she offers on every weekday, except when she has advisor meetings.
“Most kids in my class went to extra practice,” said senior Mya Corsey. “She really did take the time to teach us to make sure that we understood. She would stay for hours after school making sure you understood a concept. It just showed how much she cared about us.”
After the school announced her retirement, reaction was swift from current and former students. Most students generally agreed that Bernard was tough, but her class prepared them to be better math students down the road.
Hunter Harris ’17, a sophomore at New York University, explained, “Even though [math] wasn’t my strong suit, she gave me the tools I needed to succeed in math.”
Freshman Lexi Hehn had Bernard for sixth grade and met with her over the summer for math practice: “While you’re in her class, it’s mixed emotions, but afterwards, you realize it was important and what she says is helpful.”
“She taught me to be a good studier, how to try really hard to succeed, and gave me a great foundation in math,” said Alyssa Klier ‘17, now a sophomore at Wake Forest University. “She has high expectations like college professors would, and she expects her students to work hard.”
“She didn’t teach you how to do math,” said former student Justen Joffe, who is now a senior at Cherry Hill High School West. “She taught you how to learn, how to study, and how to work through school properly.” He added she also looked out for students’ well-being outside of the classroom: “She always wanted to make sure students were taken care of.”
“She didn’t teach you how to do math, she taught you how to learn, how to study, and how to work through school properly.”
– Former Student Justen Joffe
In addition to teaching math, she has started a long-standing tradition of having her students write letters to themselves after high school.
Natalie Zakroff ’17, a sophomore at The College of New Jersey, shared that she could tell how much Bernard cared about her students “by the way that she remembered to send them [the letters] to us after graduation years after having us in middle school.”
Bernard is known for her tough tests, but also for her writing assignments, ABCs of Math Month, and projects, such as ones focusing on tessellations and mathematicians.
In the just the few minutes after the news went public, Bernard said she received a number of emails from parents and former students. “I’m a crier and so it makes me teary eyed to read the comments—in a positive way.”
She said she will plan to use her newfound time to continue hobbies she hasn’t been able to devote as much time to the last few years such as singing, playing the piano, and reading. Bernard often provided piano accompaniment to the student choir.
Outside of the classroom, Bernard is an active member of the MFS community. She has been a part of several committees, including the Thanksgiving Happening committee. Bernard also attends the Middle and Upper School performances and sports events throughout the school year. She is proudly a MFS “Superfan,” and plans to continue supporting the Foxes after her retirement.
Bernard will continue to come to graduations, games, and performances as long as she knows the students, “which is for another 6 years,” she said with a smile.
“She has been giving our 6th graders a wonderful foundation in mathematics for many years,” said Math Department Chair Katie LuBrant. “She has been teaching them how to use the language of math and how to problem solve.”
“She has been giving our 6th graders a wonderful foundation in mathematics for many years. She has been teaching them how to use the language of math and how to problem solve.”
Math Department Chair Katie LuBrant
LuBrant said she was “irreplaceable,” and hopes the school can find someone who can provide the same foundation to Middle School students that Bernard did.
“I will absolutely miss the students here,” said Bernard.
