A Fond Farewell to Mrs. Foss

Beloved English teacher, Ms. Quinn Foss, leaves her mark on Sierra Vista High School as her memorable career comes to an end. Ms. Foss taught many generations and left an impact on each and every one of her students. Ms. Foss worked for Clark County School District for 29 years and taught at Sierra Vista High School for 11 years. In addition to Sierra Vista High School, Ms. Foss taught at Bendorf Elementary School, Palo Verde High School, and Mojave High School. Throughout her career, Ms. Foss received several awards including ‘Teacher of the Month,’ ‘A Reason to Roar,’ ‘Rave Review,’ and ‘Perfect Attendance’ which recognized her dedication to her students and her constant hard work on the Sierra Vista High School campus.

Currently, Ms. Foss teaches 9th-grade English, 11th-grade English, and a guidance class. Over the course of her time at Sierra Vista High School, Ms. Foss served as department chair for special education, as a school organization team member, as a member of the Multicultural Committee, and as a member of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports Committee for Behavior.

Ms. Foss recollects her career and what she loves about teaching, “I love being a teacher the most.  I love working with students and having some sort of positive impact on them.  I enjoy seeing students improve their academic skills, but I also enjoy seeing them mature into proud, productive young adults. I enjoy seeing students become confident in themselves and their abilities.  I love the relationship I have built with so many of my students and their parents.  I can honestly say I feel very rewarded.  I will definitely miss working with students.  When education gets overwhelming, it is the students who help us (teachers) stay passionate and enthusiastic about teaching.  Students are the ones who make us feel good about ourselves.”

In the 2021-2022 school year, Ms. Foss co-taught 10th-grade English and social studies with Mr. Kenneth Brown who recollects, “My favorite memory with Ms. Foss is when we were making nations with the students. I loved how intuitive she was with the students that it flabbergasted me. Ms. Foss taught me that you do not have to shy away from being empathetic with your students. Ms. Foss is very empathetic with her students and she never let that affect her teaching.”

Ms. Foss leaves a significant impact on her students as she enters retirement. Ms. Foss touched many and taught valuable lessons that will benefit students for their entire life. Logan Kidwell, a freshman in Foss’s English class shares, “My favorite memory was on the first day of school when she was telling the funny things she did. Ms. Foss’s legacy is that she was a hard-working teacher, and she left us with good writing skills. […] She got [me] to read out loud when I didn’t want to, and I got better at writing. Now I can read aloud and my writing skills are way better than before.” Collby Proudfoot, a freshman in Foss’s guidance class explains, “My favorite memory with Ms. Foss was when I needed help. She is willing to help with whatever I need help with. The impact that Ms. Foss has on me [is] that she is one of my favorite high school teachers for freshman year.”

Ms. Foss reveals that in her retirement, she plans to, “take six months to enjoy life without setting an alarm.” Ms. Foss continues, “I hope to travel with my husband who is also recently retired from teaching.  I would like to spend some time volunteering, perhaps with children.  If I get bored, I would love to sub for some of my colleagues.  That way I can stay connected to them and also get my ‘kid fix.’”