The 2020 school year ended without closure for not only seniors, but for several faculty and staff who are retiring. Math teacher Mr. Ron Eads didn’t know his last day as a teacher at NAHS would be before spring break.

Mr. Ron Eads // Math

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How long have you been at NA and what has changed since you started?

This year, 2020, is my 25th year at New Albany High School.  I started in the 1995~96 school year at NA.  A few years after I started, NAFCS started renovations projects throughout the corporation and they started with New Albany High School.  The school THEN does NOT  look like the school NOW.  The renovation brought the school up to date and carefully blended the old with the new school.

How does it feel to end your last year like this?

There is some sadness by not being able to say goodbye to students and staff face-to-face, but COVID has also made it easier to say goodbye by not being faced with the end each day.

Do you have any stories or memories over the years you’d like to share?

I came in 1995, to teach and be a part of the basketball staff.  I always knew that New Albany was a Top Ten program in the state of Indiana but I was not aware that we would start the season ranked #1 and play in the state championship in the Hoosier Dome.  I still have the t-shirt. Both of children, Ray and Ali, are both graduates of NAHS, and received an excellent education and support from our teachers and staff.

What will you miss most about NA?

What I will miss the most about NA is the friendships that I have made over the years, the banter with the members of math department, staff and coaches.

What, if anything, makes NA different than other schools?

I have taught at three other schools prior to coming to NA.  Two of those schools were in the Houston, Texas area, Westfield High School and Lamar Consolidated High School.  My wife and I made a concerted effort to get back home to Indiana so I took an opening at West Washington High School prior to coming to New Albany.

What made you decide to retire this year/ how long have you known this was your last year?

I just feel that this is the best time for me to retire.  I almost retired last year but felt I was not financially ready so I tried to put our investments into place with the plan to retire at the end of this school year.  So the plan was to retire this year unless some obstacle bigger than COVID prohibited that from happening.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Coming to New Albany High School was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.  The summer that I interviewed at NA, I was interviewing at other schools.  There came a point during one week of the summer that I was going to have a decision between three schools, hoping that NA would call first.  Prayer was answered and Gary Austin called to offer me the job.  I immediately accepted then promptly called the other schools about my decision.