FHS librarian Rebecca Isaac has announced that she will be retiring this year after working at FHS for about 27 years. Before her career as a librarian, she worked for three years as an elementary school teacher in Fauquier County. In retirement, Isaac hopes to have more time to do things she enjoys, such as gardening, traveling and spending time with family and friends. She also said she will “try to work part-time at the public library so I have the flexibility to do other things.”
That said, she loves Fauquier High School and its staff, and said, “[FHS] is like a family,” as the staff are very supportive of each other. She said she will miss the students and colleagues she has gotten to know during her time here.
Isaac is a well-liked librarian, and everyone speaks positively of her. English teacher Stephanie Strong thinks she’s a crucial part of the library and called her the “backbone of the library.” Librarian Rebecca Webster said, “She’s a wonderful person, a very positive and uplifting part of our library.” English teacher Jennifer Major added, “She’s one of the most fantastic librarians I could have ever imagined, and she’s knowledgeable and just such a great part of our stuff.” Due to Isaac’s long experience in the school library, she has essentially “trained” and taught the other librarians about all the ins and outs of the school library, for which Webster and library assistant Teresa Camarca are incredibly grateful.
She is a calm and patient person who makes everyone feel welcome. The teachers and librarians all agree that she is a great collaborator. Strong added about her excellent collaboration skills, “She didn’t just come up with things, she collaborated with teachers to come up with something that we were teaching and just what we wanted kids to learn.” Major commented, “She comes up with lessons and activities that support what I do in class.”
The students adore Isaac because she lights up the entire library with kindness. Senior Annaka Busenlehner loves her personally and thinks she is the sweetest woman who always asks how her day is going. Junior Rueaa Ebrahim also loves Isaac and is very grateful for everything she has done for the school and for helping her find all the books she needs. Ebrahim commented, “She made the library seem like a more fun place to be in.”
Isaac has had a significant impact on the development of the school library and has left her mark on it. She is a professional who treats everyone with great kindness and makes everyone feel welcome in the library. “Creative, innovative, and just a lover of books” is how Major described her. The school will miss Issac dearly when she leaves, and everyone at Fauquier hopes that she has an amazing retirement.
