Schools

Kaplow's Retirement 'Significant Loss' to District, Superintendent Says

Board member Katherine Kalin called the English teacher a "real treasure."

Summit High School English teacher Robert Kaplow's retirement was regretfully accepted by the Board of Education Thursday evening.

Board member Katherine Kalin referred to the novelist as "a real treasure" who kept her two sons thoroughly engaged, even though the throes of "senioritis." It was Kaplow was sparked her teens' interest in current events, making for enlightening dinner conversations, she said. The mom of three joked that selfishly she'd like to vote against his retirement at least until her daughter could experience his class.

Kaplow doesn't teach the test, said Kalin, who added that her sons still talk about how "cool" their former teacher is. 

Superintendent of Schools Nathan Parker said Kaplow's departure, effective July 1, 2014, is "a significant loss to the educational program." Parker said he wanted to "praise him in the highest possible way" for the positive impact he has had on generations of students.

Kaplow, who has spent 33 years in the Summit school district and penned several novels, has written satirical songs and sketches for National Public Radio, performed with his band Moe Moskowitz and the Punsters.

The teacher's coming-of-age novel Me and Orson Welles was made into a 2009 film featuring Zac Efron and Claire Danes, which David Denby of The New Yorker called "One of the year's ten best."


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