This year, Lou Ann Franke, the Assistant Librarian in the Learning Commons, is retiring after twenty-three years at CCHS.
Of all the memorable moments she has had, the one that sticks out the most is “when Mr. Mastrullo and I did ‘Warriors to Warriors’ with the girls and boys hockey teams many years ago. We went up against Lincoln-Sudbury’s two teachers… and our school beat them!”
Ms. Franke became a High School Librarian not only because of her love of reading but also because she always wanted to be around students and help enrich their knowledge and love for books.
Ms. Franke will miss many things about her time as Librarian, but the thing she will miss the most is the students. She runs a myriad of fun activities at the Learning Commons every day, and seeing the smiles on students’ faces daily is something Ms. Franke will never forget.
She feels that what CCHS needs is for teachers to be more connected: “We’re all on different floors here, so it’s difficult for us to get out and see each other. I would love to be able to see more connectivity as a school.” The importance of being connected is something that Franke feels was lost out on during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the dreaded Zoom calls to the fear of the virus, Franke thinks that the loneliness was one of the worst parts: “I think the students really missed being all together with each other.”
Overall, Ms. Franke’s most important advice for students is to “be passionate about whatever you decide to do with your life. Dream big! The goal is to be happy with what you choose to do.”
After retirement, Ms. Franke plans on reading, spending time with her family, and volunteering. She wants to work in prison or homeless ministry helping people.
The Voice wants to thank Ms. Franke for being CC’s beloved Librarian and wishes her the best after retirement!