Ms. Zettelmoyer bids ‘’adios’’ to Shamokin Area

By Zak Zanella, news editor

   Ms. Deanna Zettelmoyer, high school Spanish teacher, says ‘’adios’’ to Shamokin Area High School, after a teaching career here that spanned 11 years. Starting in the 2023-2024 school year, “Ms. Zettel” will teach ESL (English as a Second Language) courses at Shikellamy High School, Sunbury.

   “My new position will be vastly different from my current position.  I will be teaching ESL,” explained Zettelmoyer. “It will be challenging in a good way.  I will be teaching English Language Learners how to speak English and how to be successful in the school system.  I will also be responsible for administrative duties like paperwork for grants, hiring interpreters, etc.  I am really looking forward to the change.  Change is good, it helps us grow.”

   While Shikellamy is a different school, Zettelmoyer will get to see a familiar face. Mrs. Bethann Shaffer, a former Shamokin Area history teacher, started a teaching position in Shikellamy in February. Zettelmoyer served with Shaffer as advisers for Indian Pride and the Study Abroad club at Shamokin Area.

    ‘’It’s going to be a learning curve,’’ she said of her new position. Looking ahead, she plans to utilize the same techniques she used here at Shamokin to get to know her new students. ‘’You have to introduce yourself to them, find out things that they like, the same way I did with you guys,” she added.

      During her time at Shamokin, Zettelmoyer was the reason for having upper-level Spanish classes. 

   “We really never had classes higher than Spanish II.  My first year teaching here, a student approached me about taking Spanish III.  I said it is a course, they just have to choose it on their course selection sheets.  This was back when you actually filled out a paper.  The student, who happens to be who is replacing me, as well as myself, told students in Spanish II to sign up for Spanish III.  Word spread and by my second year, I had a Spanish III class.  Then, they signed up for Spanish IV.  From there, the program grew to what it has become.  We now have two classes of Spanish III and two classes of Spanish IV,” she explained.

     Zettelmoyer, a graduate of Warrior Run High School, earned a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish and a master’s in education degree in curriculum and instruction from Bloomsburg University. Her teaching career includes Francis Scott Key High School in Carroll County Public School, Maryland, and elementary school at Fausta Vega Santander in Tuxpam, Mexico.

   She moved back home because of her close ties with her family.  ‘’They were the reasons I moved back to Pennsylvania. My Dad was sick; he had cancer,’’ she explained. She firmly believes that her family was the primary reason she accomplished her goals in the first place, and she says that she will always take the opportunity to reminisce about the incredible career she has molded for herself, as well as the rewarding experiences that came with it at Shamokin. 

   Zettelmoyer says that she made the decision to teach Spanish to students because it profoundly expanded her horizons, and, throughout her life, she gained a personal appreciation for the Spanish language and its culture. 

    ‘’I enjoy learning about other cultures, and I love everything with Spanish culture, whether it’s Spanish culture, Spanish-American culture, it doesn’t matter. I just love it,’’ she said fondly.

   Zettelmoyer believes that student interaction was a top priority for her when it came down to instructing her classes, especially in terms of attempting to foster relationships with each of the students in all of her classes. ‘’When you get to know students on a more personal level, it helps you with class management,’’ she expressed. ‘’It lets students know that we care, it gets students to want to perform well in the classroom, to start to like the material,’’ she explained.

  When not teaching, Ms. Zettel is very busy.  “ I love traveling.  I have been all over the world.  My favorite trip so far was to Machu Picchu.  I also really loved Budapest.  I enjoy camping with my family.  And everyone knows I love baking. It is really relaxing.  Who knows, someday maybe I will be running my own bakery,” she said.

   According to many of her students that have attended her Spanish II, III, and IV classes, she will always be viewed in their hearts as a beloved teacher and some would even deem as ‘’a true inspiration to them’’ throughout the Shamokin Area community.