By Kathleen McAleese

Staff Writer

Michael Joyce, a German teacher of 34 years here at WA will be retiring at the end of this year. His teaching career brought him here after he taught for two years in the Midwest, and one year in Vienna Austria. At this point in his career he “is ready to start a new chapter in [his] life.”

His kids are out of college and he has plans to move to Tampa, Florida, where he and his wife are building a house.

“I’m old,” said Joyce.

In his place is a student teacher who helped him teach and was a former student of his.

“It’s a perfect fit for everyone,” said Joyce.

Joyce fell upon Westford by chance when he came back to the states. For Joyce, it “felt like [he] had come home.”

The connection Joyce felt with the community of Westford and with the school was so great that he simply never left. Joyce will greatly miss both his coworkers and students.

As stated again and again, WA takes pride in its well-disciplined students and Joyce feels the same. He has taken several trips to Europe with students and has never had one issue.

“WA students are respectful, kind, intelligent; they are the best,” said Joyce