After nine years of teaching at the school, math teacher Meghan Pickett will retire at the end of the school year.
Pickett began her career as a math teacher at Shoreline Middle. After three years of teaching Pre Algebra to students there, Pickett moved to Santa Cruz High School, where she taught AP Statistics for eight years. Following that, she got a job offer from the SHS math department. After transferring to the school, Pickett immediately fell in love with the school’s culture and students.
“I’m hands down going to miss all the great students,” she said. “I simply love teaching math, and when I came to SHS, I realized I had found my people.”
Having previously taught AP math courses, Pickett was able to transition smoothly into the school, where she has taught both Algebra 2 Honors and AP Calculus AB.
Sophomore Samik Pattanayak, who had Pickett as high Algebra 2 Honors teacher during his 8th grade year, said that she was one of his favorite teachers because of the way she approaches teaching her students.
“I like [Mrs. Pickett] a lot because she was my first high school math teacher and really helped me adjust to the rigor of high school math classes,” Pattanayak said.
Pattanayak credits Pickett’s interactive and informative teaching style with helping him shift from the relaxed structure of middle school classes to the more intensive nature of high school classes.
Similarly, junior Aarav Badani — who is currently enrolled in Pickett’s AP Calculus AB class — said that Pickett was a fun teacher who he wishes could be his teacher next year as well.
“I’m bummed that she’s leaving because she’s one of the nicest teachers on campus and a really good teacher that the campus really benefits from,” Badani said. “Her teaching style meshes with anybody and she adapts to her students really well. I’m going to miss her a lot.”
Math teacher PJ Yim added that Pickett has had an ability to make all of her students feel welcomed in her classes and always bring enthusiasm and positivity to any class she taught.
Yim recalled when she joined the school’s math department.
“When she first joined, she had a wealth of experience by teaching a lot of AP courses at her previous schools, and could teach all classes with an equal degree of enthusiasm and love for her students,” Yim said. “I think all her students clearly know and understand that she cares for them. And I think that’s very clear when you sit in her classroom, which is why she was an effective teacher.”
After retiring, Pickett hopes to spend more time with her family and friends, and create her own plans for the day. Although it was hard to let go of her profession, she looks forward to having more free time on her plate.
Ultimately, Pickett said she will miss the general feeling of teaching and is thankful for her nine years of teaching at the school.
“I love teaching math, but it’s a very time consuming profession, and I’m looking forward to having some time that’s more about me,” Pickett said. “It has been such an honor to teach here, and I’m going to miss all the wonderful students of Saratoga High School.”