Friday, May 7, 2010
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In need of ‘new batteries’ Stoner retiring after 36 years of teaching math >> Courtney Sackett Staff Writer During a hot summer football practice, a coach rushed up to his players who were enjoying a refreshing drink from the water fountain, and with a bright red face screamed, “What’re you doing?” He slowly leaned in toward one of the players, said “Just kidding,” and walked away with a goofy smile across his face. This eccentric behavior is what math department head Ken Stoner has become known for over his 36 years of teaching mathematics, and what will be missed after his retirement in June. “There’s been so many memories,” said Stoner. “There’s been a lot of good things that happened here.” Former football player, junior Josh Foerst had only known Stoner for a short time when he was surprised by Stoner’s unique sense of humor. Foerst said he was so scared by the water fountain incident, he almost peed his pants. “I was definitely a little intimidated by Stoner,” said math teacher Allison Carey. “He can be loud at times, but it’s just because he cares, and cares a lot about the students and what he does. So, after the initial shock of how loud he was and that, he turned out to be a pretty cool guy.” Unlike Carey, seven of the current members working here experienced Stoner’s class firsthand when they were students; Jim Boardwine, Polly Dierkens, Holly Kocis, Cristy Lindstrom, Nick Marcini, Megan McCaffrey and Nancy Yenulonis. His unusual behavior is what students know him for, but Stoner acts in such a manner as a teaching technique. He said he does what is necessary to have a good time while educating his classes, such as pretending he has a calculator in his brain. “As a teacher, I always wanted to try to keep my kids paying attention,” said Stoner.
GUIDANCE
PHOTO BY DANI RADIC
Showing senior Skye Flanders how to work out a problem on her homework during third period Calculus is math teacher Ken Stoner. “I would tell jokes, I would goof around, I would dance… That’s all an act.” His act worked. Students would pay attention and if they did not understand something, he would work with them one-on-one until they understood what was going on. Sophomore Taylor Goodman said Stoner assisted her when she needed help with geometry. He would work with her during intervention until she understood the material. He also helped former student, senior Nate Tonkin when he needed help. Once before a test, Tonkin was struggling, so Stoner skipped his own lunch to help him. “There was more of a chance to see Stoner and who he really is,” Tonkin said of his one-on-one experience. “And he’s actually a very crazy old man.” Beloved as he is, it is time for Ston-
er to retire after being involved in education for 53 years, including his own education and his time teaching. After 30 years teaching here and a year in Miami, Florida, he said he thought about retiring. The State Teachers Retirement System gives Ohio teachers an incentive of an extra 10 percent if they teach at least 35 years, so he continued five more years. “It’s time to go on,” Stoner said. “You know, I’ve done my part.” In retirement, Stoner plans on spending time at home with his wife, third grade teacher Paula Stoner, who will be retiring next year. Now that he is becoming an “empty nester,” with his two daughters in college and his third moving out, he said he will also spend his days with his cat and dog. “My calculator is getting old,” Stoner said. “I need new batteries.”
Marlin
Continued from Page 1 his son, Ty Marlin Jr., said special education teacher Christy Lindstrom. “He was just supportive of his kids and his family, a true concerned parent.” Streetsboro fireman Kevin Grimm said he believes Marlin had three families: his wife and children, his Twinsburg fire department family and his Streetsboro fire department family. Members of the Twinsburg department are embracing Marlin’s family more than ever said Bosso. “We have two godsons,” Bosso said. “Supporting the boys is our goal... it’s ongoing, its for life… We’re gonna take care of those boys for as long as they’re around. We watched these kids grow up, we were around when they were born... We’re gonna take care of Elaine and his family...” Marlin became a firefighter for the Twinsburg fire department in 1993 and started part-time for Streetsboro’s department in 1994. He was a part of HAZMAT and rescue diver teams on the Twinsburg Fire Department. Fellow firefighter Jim Hartung said the crew members spend more time together than with their families because even when they are not on duty their spouses work during the day. Firefighters work 24 hours, then have 48 hours off. They can also work a 36-hour shift and 48 hours maximum. “We are a family. We spend a third of our time together,” said Twinsburg firefighter John Knaus. Marlin would give “fatherly advice” to the new guys at the station, Bosso said. “I can’t think of one he didn’t make an impact on - fire, EMS, HAZMAT, or dive- and he was not even an officer. He just had that officer mentality.” Marlin had the ability to “get people going,” Grimm said. He would always be the one to joke and give someone a hard time if they messed up and “wouldn’t hold anything back.” “He liked hiding things, so if you were cooking for lunch and you put something in the microwave and walked away, when you came back it was usually in a different location,” Twinsburg firefighter Gina DevitoStaub remembered. Marlin was always someone who was laughing and a lot of fun, Bosso said. “You always knew when he was in the building. He was small, but he had that voice and that laugh that carried.”