Lonnie Mitchell, a math teacher for 42 years, has left an incredible mark at Chelsea High School. Upon his retirement, Mitchell will be the longest-serving teacher in the school’s history. His empathy, dedication, and love for teaching have shaped students’ education and bonds among colleagues in the math department.

Other teachers have had the opportunity to learn from him and grow in their teaching. Heather Hugg, a teacher with 24 years of experience, has learned a lot from Mitchell about the support students need from their teachers.

“He has taught us that sometimes we can let go of math and teach about other things in life,” Hugg said.

Mitchell hopes that new teachers will create bonds and connections with their students: “Learn to be empathetic to students”, Mitchell said. When he tried doing this, he was able to discover a deeper meaning of the learning in his classes.

“He’s impacted me by teaching me a lot more about math and enhancing my knowledge of it,” junior Kate McKenzie said.

Mitchell has been the head of the math department since the current high school was built. He was on the building committee and has been able to witness the school’s growth over the years, from being a coach back in 1992 to becoming an inspirational math teacher who has impacted so many people’s lives. Not only has Mitchell seen the school grow physically, but he has seen the tools students have been granted to enhance their learning. As a teacher, he had to learn with the students as new advancements were being made.

“They can find more answers quickly through technology rather than spending days looking for the answer. Technology has given us the opportunity to grow in education,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell emphasized that he has learned teaching traits and unique styles from other teachers over the years. One of his specialties is keeping things in and out of the classroom fun and lighthearted.

“Mr. Mitchell was my freshman football coach. He was the best coach I ever had,” Alumni and parent Tom Irwin said.

Chelsea High School students would not have these amazing teachers without the support they provide to each other.

“He has made me love math a lot more by making it fun because he’s super sarcastic about everything,” McKenzie said.

Besides being sarcastic, he loves going above and beyond by keeping the other teachers in his department bonded together. He is constantly showing dedication to keep a healthy team within a school community. His enthusiasm and creativity are not only fun but also inspire positivity in important work relationships.

“He does a lot of extra things like Mitchell entertainment, and anytime we have a snow day, he sends out an email and we all guess what time they are going to call it, and he gives the winner a lottery ticket,” Hugg said.

One of Mitchell’s life quotes strongly relates to his career. It expresses that you choose to follow a path in
life because of the passion you have for it. His love for teaching is truly shown by the students being his motivation to wake up in the mornings.

“Love what you do, do what you love,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell Moments

“I really like it when he just takes the class time to tell a story of his past. One that stands out was before Christmas break, when he told us about his family farm. That was really cool. He’s really taught me a lot, and I’m gonna miss him,” junior Sophia Getty said.

“One of my friends raised her hand to ask a question, but he told her to put it down because he wasn’t done talking,” McKenzie said.

“I really feel like the math department, it’s like a little family, because we’ve been here, all of us together for 22 years, and then some people even more together. So I just feel like we all know each other. We really rely on each other, we respect each other,” Hugg said.