Henrico's Top Teachers – Jennifer Frisch, Skipwith Elementary School, fifth grade

Dental hygiene – not teaching – was the career field Jennifer Frisch envisioned herself entering, but her college experience with a chemistry course convinced her that it might not be in the cards, much to the chagrin of her father (a chemist).

But when her best friend transferred to VCU to pursue a degree in education, Frisch was intrigued. She liked the idea of taking classes together (and of eventually having summers off), so she switched her major.

This month, Frisch will exit the classroom that she’s called home since 2006 at Skipwith Elementary School for the final time, retiring from a 38-year teaching career that began in Hopewell and continued at Henrico’s Adams Elementary before landing her at Skipwith.

“It’s definitely a calling,” Frisch said of the career, “even though I didn’t think it was my calling in the beginning. But I think that you have to trust that you land where you’re supposed to be. I’m hoping that I helped some students discover their potential.”

With the exception of one year she spent teaching fourth grade, she spent all of her years at Skipwith teaching fifth grade in full or part (she also partnered with a fourth-grade teacher as part of an effort during which they each taught subjects in both grades).

“You can have conversations with them about life stuff and they get humor, they can be funny and make me laugh, I can say things that make them laugh,” she said, explaining her affinity for the age level. “The amount of information they learn and what they can do by the end of fifth grade, it’s just amazing. It’s setting them on a path for middle school and a big turning point for them.”

After her 16th year teaching, Frisch felt an itch to give the dental hygiene path another try, unsure at first which path was truly meant for her.

“I sobbed and sobbed the day that I packed up my classroom,” she recalled, “but I had to do some soul-searching. I think it was just me proving to myself that I could do it.”

Though she did well in her classes, she found that she truly missed being in a classroom with students. So the following year, she came back to Skipwith.

Many families are glad that she did.

“Ms. Frisch has been a phenomenal educator, counselor (to her students and peer faculty members), and advocate for classroom learning,” a nominator wrote. “She has demonstrated subject knowledge with commitment and humor with a(n) unique openness and "straight forward" approach, always keeping the best interests of her students – all students! – at the forefront of her expectations, style of teaching, and ultimately, academic achievement.”

Frisch described herself as an old-school teacher who would happily employ any teaching method necessary to reach a student.

“I always tell them ‘I’m going to show you a different way if you don’t understand it this way,’” she said. “How you see it may not be how someone else sees it.”

She’s loved her years at Skipwith, marveling at the school’s internationally diverse community with many families who came from far away seeking better lives and strong education for their children.

“It’s nice to hear about different experiences, hear about kids whose parents have brought them here for opportunity,” she said. “You can tell in parent conferences that [the parents] value education and they’re SO appreciative of teachers, it’s amazing.”

Though Frisch is retiring, she will not disappear from the Skipwith community. As part of the school system’s Post-Retirement Earnings Program (or PREP) for retired employees, she’ll still be spending time at the school next school year.

“I’ll miss teaching and watching them get it – and watching them feel proud of their accomplishments,” she said.