January 1, 2012
6th of Tevet, 5772
Dear Parents,
Over the weekend, Ms. Rosales informed the school that she was accepted into a nursing program at UNC Chapel Hill, and would be resigning from her position as a Science teacher at Shalhevet, effective immediately.
In my conversation with Ms. Rosales, she explained that the nursing program at UNC Chapel Hill was set to begin in the Summer of 2012, but due to budget cuts, the program changed its start date to this January. Ms. Rosales also qualified for a substantial loan that will support her way through a program she was uncertain she could afford. Both of these developments prevented her from resigning under a more reasonable timetable. In a letter, Ms. Rosales expressed regret over not being able to say a more formal goodbye:
“Despite my feelings for my students, colleagues, and friends, I had to make the decision that was best for me, my health, and my future. All of this left me in a very sad place where I could not say goodbye to you or to my students in a proper fashion. Please know it was never my intention to hurt anyone or disturb the rhythm of the semester.”
Ms. Rosales has worked at Shalhevet for four years, a period that allowed her to make significant contributions to the school, and the student body. As a cancer survivor, Ms. Rosales has spoken quite fondly about the support she gained from the Shalhevet community. Needless to say, many of us draw significant inspiration from her courageous example.
Ms. Rosales has left very specific plans to cover the remaining two weeks in her Biology and Physiology courses, along with information regarding grades, assessments, and final exams. Needless to say, we are working diligently on making sure that her students do not fall behind, or suffer unduly. This process includes finding a suitable sub to teach the remainder of this semester. Finally, together with Dr. Smallwood, our Science Chair, we have initiated a formal search for a Science educator who can assume a formal teaching role for the rest of this year, and beyond.
We apologize for the inconvenience of this news, and we wish Ms. Rosales the very best going forward.
Sincerely,
Roy Danovitch, Acting Principal, General Studies
