Whether it was a teacher who sparked your love of learning, believed in you when you needed it most, or made class something to look forward to — your stories reminded us why DeWitt teachers are truly one of a kind. 💙🐾

Take a moment to read the favorite teacher memories shared by our community — they’ll make you smile!

Dave Pabst - 5th Grade Teacher

Submitted by: Mary Mauro
Graduated: 1998

Provide a brief description of why this teacher is deserving of recognition:
He had specific lessons designed to build a safe environment in the classroom. I always did my best because he was so good at recognizing all students. I was a very shy kid but he was so personable to each student that made them want to learn. He played this game "snaps" a few times each semester and it was so fun. There was a group project where we had to answer questions for homework and then the next day we would group and then pick an answer to read out loud. I remember being so proud of my answer being chosen. He was able to get the right amount of support for each kid. Him and Mr. Chester always played off of each other in a great way to get the classroom of kids involved in school.

What is something this teacher said or did that really stuck with you?
Each semester he would take all homework that received an "A" and then he would pull out a few winners that received a prize at the end of the semester. It made all of us really want to do well so we might get selected. He really tried to connect with each kid. For example, I was super shy but he knew I was a HUGE Notre Dame fan. I'll never forget one time he came up to me and started asking me questions about the football team and he brought up my favorite player. It meant so much to me that he not only knew that about me but he was willing to ask me questions about it.

How did your favorite teacher help you grow as a person?
He gave me more confidence as a kid and I went into the education field because I wanted to make a difference to young students.

Dawn Arnett - Language Arts & Volleyball Coach

Submitted by: Caryn Freed
Graduated: 1991

Tell us a little bit about this DeWitt Public Schools teacher and your experience with this person.
Ms Arnett seemed to truly care about her students. She noticed important things. She told me in a sincere way, “you are very perceptive.” It is something I still think about today when I consider my strengths. It’s important for teachers to see and call out positive traits in their students and Ms Arnett was great at that.

Provide a brief description of why this teacher is deserving of recognition:
Ms. Arnett should be recognized for caring about her students and for calling out their strengths.

What is something this teacher said or did that really stuck with you?
She noticed that I was a perceptive person and she called it out. That insight has helped me understand myself better, even 35 years later.

How did your favorite teacher help you grow as a person?
Ms. Arnett helped me relate to others in a more sensitive and compassionate way. She helped me understand the importance of really seeing people and acknowledging the good traits I see.

Bill McCullen - History teacher & Basketball Coach

Submitted by: Addie McNamara
Graduated: 2021

Tell us a little bit about this DeWitt Public Schools teacher and your experience with this person.
I had Mr. Mccullen not only as a teacher but also as a basketball coach. He always was someone i could rely on for anything. He is one of the best teachers and mentors I have had at dewitt schools.

Provide a brief description of why this teacher is deserving of recognition:
Mr. Mccullen is deserving of this recognition because he always goes above and beyond for anyone he meets. He was always there when someone needed advice, or even just a good laugh. He is someone I will always look up to.

What is something this teacher said or did that really stuck with you?
During basketball season, Mr. Mccullen never gave up on me. He always pushed me to do better and always wanted the best for me on and off the court.

How did your favorite teacher help you grow as a person?
He helped me grow in so many ways. He made me a better person, a better leader, and a better friend. He taught me many lessons about not only being a good person, but always striving to be the best version of yourself.

Mrs. Kutchins - Civics Teacher

Submitted by: Nancy Grove Zalewski
Graduated: 1967

Tell us a little bit about this DeWitt Public Schools teacher and your experience with this person.
So helpful with my transition from Catholic school to public school

Provide a brief description of why this teacher is deserving of recognition:
So helpful with my transition from Catholic school to public school

How did your favorite teacher help you grow as a person?
Her kindness

Mrs. Duflo - 6th Grade Math Teacher

Submitted by: Lilly Rollins
Graduated: 2025

Tell us a little bit about this DeWitt Public Schools teacher and your experience with this person.
This teacher was my 6th grade math teacher, and she was the teacher that really allowed me to start to enjoy the subject of math. She would include fun activities in her lessons that not only kept us engaged but also allowed us to remember topics. For example, when we were learning about decimals, she played a song so we would remember to line each place value up and when learning about algebra she played a song about getting variables alone.

Provide a brief description of why this teacher is deserving of recognition:
This teacher is deserving of recognition because she taught me and a lot of other students how to enjoy math, even though it is a subject that a lot of people strongly dislike.

What is something this teacher said or did that really stuck with you?
Something that this teacher not necessarily said, but did, that stuck with me was being willing to have fun in her class, not just teaching us the assigned topic, and moving on.

How did your favorite teacher help you grow as a person?
My favorite teacher helped me grow as a person because she showed me how much I can enjoy the process of learning, which pushed me to pursue more of my interests.