One of the callings you can have in life is a teacher.
From teaching various subjects to being there for kids when they need someone to talk to, teachers serve a key part in our society’s fabric.
Several teachers at Helix Charter High School and Grossmont High School, respectively, are calling it a career after many years of providing local kids with an education.
At Grossmont High, English teacher LeAnne Ginn began her student teaching at the school in the spring of 1996 and was hired at the end of that school year.
“I was in the middle school credential track at SDSU (San Diego State University) but couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I’ve never regretted that decision,” Ginn said.
Ginn was originally hired to teach English for Business (among other classes) because she came from a business setting.
“I had worked in law for 15 years before deciding to follow my original dream and become a teacher,” Ginn stated. “When I started, we were working on desktops with floppy discs. As technology has changed, it has made teaching both easier and more difficult. This year, for example, both of my Advanced Placement exams have gone digital. That has been a huge adjustment. In addition, the growth of AI is incredibly problematic – I can’t prove students cheated and they can’t prove they didn’t. It’s a struggle.”
When asked what makes for a good English teacher and student, Ginn noted, “I think a true love of literature and the written and spoken word make a good English teacher and student who masters the language. I have taught English learners most of my career. My advice to them is always readall you can get your hands on. I believe it was Steven Krashen, a true reading guru, who used the Sweet Valley High books to entice English learners. It’s important that they experience the language and not rely on translators.”
In looking back at her time teaching, Ginn said there were some exceptional moments and experiences.
“During my first year, I volunteered to be a counselor at Camp Mini Town, a human relations camp,” Ginn remarked. “It changed my life forever. I worked in a team setting in a program called Bridge for five of the first years here. We were a great team of teachers focused on helping struggling students in multiple disciplines. It was wonderful to see the improvement in the students’ grades. Then in 2003 I was “volunteered” to teach Advanced Placement. I was very reluctant, but it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Perhaps best of all, I met my husband, a Grossmont alum, here. He teaches U.S. History. Grossmont has been very good to me. It’s a bittersweet ending, but it’s time.”
One of Ginn’s colleagues, K12 Strong Workforce Program Coordinator Nicole Thren, said she’s found it hard to believe Ginn is retiring.
“She is leaving behind a lasting impact on students and colleagues alike,” Thren said. “I had the privilege of working alongside LeAnne for over 20 years, especially during the years when we both taught English for Business. Her prior experience at a law firm was a tremendous asset, particularly during our Small Claims unit, where her real-world insights added real-world relevance and made the material more engaging and practical.
“For years, I had taught the course alone, so having someone to share ideas with—and occasionally vent to—was both refreshing and invaluable. LeAnne’s presence made the job lighter, the lessons stronger, and the journey far more meaningful and enjoyable.
“Having started with just a business credential, and even after having earned my English credential, LeAnne was my go-to person when I needed to confirm a rule in the English language. I ended up taking after her; we must see that Oxford comma! It has been a true pleasure working with LeAnne.”
Saying goodbye to Helix after 30 years
Another teacher who is retiring is Helix’s Jeff Babbitt.
Babbitt began his teaching career in 1988 at La Mesa Middle School (now La Mesa Arts Academy).
Jeff Babbitt (Photo courtesy of Helix Charter High School)“I was there for eight years before coming to Helix in 1996, so I have actually been teaching in this neighborhood for 37 years,” Babbitt said. “My wife Julie retired from the La Mesa Spring Valley School District two years ago after 30 years working as a teacher and counselor. We met while we were both teaching at La Mesa Middle in the early 90’s. Julie and I raised our family here in La Mesa and both of our boys went to LMSV schools before graduating from Helix. All of the above has made me feel a part of the ‘fabric’ of La Mesa. When I am out in the community it is always fun to run into current or former students and swap stories about their time in my classroom. It has also become fairly common for the children of former students to be in my classes. (That is when you know you are getting old).”
Babbitt, who has been a math teacher all these years, said he would definitely go into the education field if he had to do it all over again.
“Helping students to learn a little math as well as navigate the teenage years has been an incredibly fulfilling career,” Babbitt remarked. “I was the Math Department Chair for 20 years and I am quite proud of the accomplishments of the department during that time. The Math Department in many ways leads the way at Helix and that is because of the phenomenal group of people that it consists of. I will definitely miss seeing my colleagues each day. Being a part of both Helix and the La Mesa community all of these years has been a wonderful experience and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time. I consider myself to be very fortunate in that I found a way to pay my bills doing something that was fun, and not enough people in our society get to say that. My advice to current Helix students would be to remind them that their four years of high school are going to go by very quickly – ride the Matterhorn as many times as you can.”
Speaking of students, a few said they will take away memories of their time with Babbitt.
“He was funny, that’s how I remember him,” Lukas Beer remarked. According to Leo Nguyen, many students and teachers use what is known as “Babbitt-isms”.
Kota Podresov stated, “Mr. Babbitt is known as the coolest guy ever. Whenever he removes a question from the homeowner or lets us use our calculators, the whole class chants, ‘you’re the coolest guy ever.’”
Troy Sivongsay sees Babbitt as the most effective math teacher he has ever had.
“He managed to fit so much advanced geometry into a small amount of time,” Sivongsay said. “And the way he did flowed naturally and made it go by so fast.”
Among the other Helix teachers set for retirement this year are John Geary (43 years), Jason Takahashi (25 years), and Michelle Hoersch (21 years).
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