Adios y Buena Suerte!
SAYING GRACIAS AS CAROL RADCHIK RETIRES AFTER A DECADE AT PARKER
After 10 years as a Spanish teacher at Parker, Carol Radchik described her time here in one word: fulfilled. “Going to Parker every day has been a joy!” she explained. “Some of my favorite experiences include forming strong bonds with students and watching them grow not just academically, but personally as well.”
Before her time at Parker, Carol taught Spanish at a small elementary school. She saw the position at Parker as an opportunity for personal and professional growth and stayed for a decade because of the rewarding relationships she formed with students, colleagues, and the community as a whole. “These experiences and connections made my decade at Parker an immensely rewarding and enriching chapter of my life,” Carol said.
Carol began her time at Parker in the Middle School World Language department, teaching Spanish to Grade 6 through Grade 8 students while also serving as an advisor. During her last three years, she transitioned into the Upper School, continuing as a Spanish instructor and advisor for the Class of 2024. “Building meaningful relationships with my students and watching them grow from having little to no knowledge of Spanish to becoming fluent speakers was incredibly fulfilling,” she said. “I also found personal and professional fulfillment in making a difference in my students’ lives.”
Some of her favorite experiences at Parker include “sparking students’ interest in travel, global awareness, and lifelong learning through various trips.” Carol counts her adventures on Catalina Island and Discovery Week trips to Costa Rica and Argentina as particularly memorable. “The trips to Costa Rica and Argentina allowed students to transfer their language skills to the real world, step out of their comfort zones, and experience the joy of communicating with locals in their native language,” she recalled.
When it comes to retirement plans, Carol is excited to enjoy a more relaxed pace of life with more free time on her hands. “I look forward to spending quality time with loved ones and strengthening those relationships, especially being able to see my daughter in Boston more frequently,” she explained.
She is also looking forward to exploring more of the world—”One of my dreams is to travel and explore new places and cultures. I want to learn another language (and master French), and have the time to be a traveler, not just a tourist, by spending time with people in different communities and possibly volunteering in other countries,” Carol said.
Along with more travel, she will devote more time to her hobbies, such as playing the piano, reading, playing pickleball, and staying mentally and physically healthy. She also plans to return to Parker and the community she loves as a substitute teacher.
When discussing her ultimate retirement plans, Carol said, “Above all, I aim to embrace mindfulness and savor life’s moments, finding a deep sense of peace and joy.”
As her (full-time) experience at Parker comes to a close, Carol reminisced on what she will miss about the School. “I will miss the daily interactions with students, seeing their progress, and the energy they bring to the classroom. I will also miss the camaraderie and support from my fellow teachers and staff, as well as the friendships I’ve built over the years,” she said. “Eating lunch in my classroom with my best friends and colleagues, who are now like family to me, is something I will always cherish.”
As Carol bids farewell to the School, she has a few final words of advice for students—“Dare to dream, dare to discover, and above all, dare to be the architects of your own destiny.”
