Sofia Gellada | On 30, Jan 2021

After five years of teaching religion, Ms. Shannon Hoffman is saying goodbye to Hudson Catholic. Ms. Hoffman was hired in the summer of 2016 and will be leaving just as we head into winter break. She will be moving on to work as the Co-Director of Vocation and Mission Engagement for the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth.

Initially, Ms. Hoffman had no plans to switch her career path. The decision to leave was undoubtedly a difficult one. However, it was a golden opportunity that she would have “always regretted giving up” if she had stayed. 

Because she will no longer be teaching, Ms. Hoffman foresees that the most difficult thing to adjust to will be “not seeing students every day because [they] were pretty much the highlight of my day.” She will also miss all of the friends and coworkers that she has made over the years at Hudson Catholic. 

Over the years, Ms. Hoffman has been quite involved with various school events and activities. Ms. Hoffman mentioned that being a chaperone and “going to prom with all the teachers and the seniors” were some of the most memorable times for her.

“My fondest memories will always be of organizing mass,” Hoffman said. “It was always a stressful yet fun time. Getting to work with students and making mass happen for the school was pretty fun.”

She also helped coach the cheerleading team for a brief period.

Even though Ms. Hoffman is leaving Hudson Catholic, she has no plans to forget about the school and disappear forever. Ms. Hoffman does plan to come back and visit for some school events and to spend time with her former students and coworkers.

Ms. Hoffman wants to be remembered by her students as “that teacher that they felt comfortable being around. That [she] was a safe space for them.” For future teachers of Hudson Catholic, Ms. Hoffman leaves these words of wisdom based on her experience as a new teacher: “Take a step back and breathe before you teach, and just try to stay calm. If we just relax and have a good time, everything else will fall into place.”