South Windsor Teacher Retires After 48-Year Career

By Vincent Gallo (Special to South Windsor Patch)

Dr. Frances Petros has kept a continuous personal goal that she still stands by to this day. To get to know people: whether in the classroom or out, or as a visitor of a foreign country. For her, meeting and appreciating people remains a constant way of life.

Along with the 2015-16 school year, Petros’ 48-year teaching career came to a close on June 8. But her impact will live on in her students’ hearts and last forever.  

“She has such a kind heart, she’s so good-hearted and so compassionate,” said South Windsor High School (SWHS) junior Joyce Figueroa. “She cares on such a deep level – I wasn’t just her student, she really cares about us and she shows it every day.”  

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Students also remember and appreciate Petros’ trust that remained through any situation.

“Signora [Dr. Petros] is a very special type of person,” said senior Gabe Milluzzo. “She puts others first and goes above and beyond. She would do anything for anyone, no matter what they did to her.”

Petros says that she has always believed in the students whom she has taught. “You walk into my classroom and it’s a clean slate,” Petros said. “Unless, you give me a reason not to trust you, I trust you.”

Following her graduation from UMass Amherst, Petros began her teaching career as a professor of foreign language. This position was offered by UMass Amherst without being required to first work as a student teacher. Petros has accumulated bachelors and master’s degrees, with advanced studies and doctorates in Spanish, Italian, and Marriage and Family Therapy. But none have been teaching degrees.

 “Nobody taught me how to teach,” she explained. “[But] I knew [that] there was [still] material that I had to teach and I knew that there was a student body [that I needed] to pass it on to.” Petros needed to develop her own way in figuring out how to meet student needs, yet she was able to do so any way she saw fit. “[In my situation] there was no cookie-cutter,” said Petros.

After holding a job as a professor at UMass Amherst, Petros went on to dual teach for 34 years at both the Hartford College for Women and the University of Hartford while simultaneously beginning high school teaching at Westfield High School (Mass.). One of her proudest achievements in her teaching career was being presented with the 1999 Teacher of the Year award and having a plaque dedicated to her at the Hartford College for Women.

Petros also taught at two separate high schools in Connecticut following her career at Westfield High School - an eight year stint at Windsor High School (1989-1997) and a 19 year tenure at South Windsor High School (1997-2016). At South Windsor, she taught college prep, honors, and Advanced Placement Spanish. In 2012, South Windsor High School introduced its first Italian program in which Petros agreed to solely teach the courses.

Petros developed a love for learning foreign languages throughout her youth, which would later prove to aid her in meeting people worldwide and countless students in the classroom. With such passion, as well as confidence, she earned a language doctorate in Spanish. Petros is thankful in the ability she has nurtured, that is learning a language.

“I’ve always considered my ability with languages to be a gift from God,” she said.

However, the tale of how she achieved a position in the master’s program for an Italian doctorate, after being self-taught, is especially unique. Petros grew up infatuated with the Italian culture. Years later, with a position in the master’s program for Italian on the line, she spent hours scouring books written in Italian, studying word by word for days on end, while occasionally testing her ability to communicate at Italian markets in Hartford. After months of tireless studying she passed the program’s required exam.

From such a story, her students admire her perseverance and take in the message of being able to succeed, regardless of the starting point.

“That teaches me that if you really are determined you can get things done,” said SWHS junior Alex Barker. “That’s a big deal to learn a language all by herself.”

In addition to her desire to meet new people, she always took note on what to avoid as an educator from the teachers of her past. From a French teacher shaming her for asking questions, to an elementary school teacher who punished her classmates for misunderstanding the difference in pronunciation, Petros was determined to steer clear of the wrongs. She wanted to make sure the students were learning in a comfortable environment.

“The people who taught me the most about teaching were the worst teachers,” said Petros. “From those people I learned what not to do to somebody.”

According to her students, Petros’ connection with them led to their improvement with the languages taught. Barker recalls her gradual improvement in Italian.

“The first year taking Italian I struggled, but as I became closer with Dr. Petros, I wanted to do better just to impress her because she’s such a caring women.”

Petros also had a knack for being extremely approachable and teaching in a stress-free atmosphere. 

“You feel like you can go to her with any issues,” said SWHS junior Vicki Garofalo. “She makes the learning process much easier, and more comfortable.”

Petros will leave a career that she believes has blessed her with the opportunity to welcome students with open arms and learn each of their unique stories.

“Get to know you’re students, because they’re all unique,” she said as advice to incoming teachers. “Take the time to know [students] well and don’t make any assumptions.”

Yet it also has, and will continue to stretch beyond the classroom. Spain, Italy, Greece, Mexico, India – Petros has quite a bit of mileage on her passport. In addition to caring for her family, she plans to continue to frequently visit orphanages in Mexico and resume her involvement in the Special Olympics post-retirement.

As Petros departs a career that has brought her great happiness and continues her journey and lifestyle of meeting new people, South Windsor High School will deeply miss her presence and personality. Students will remember her dedication to knowing her pupils for who they were, and her compassionate aura most of all.

“When you see that in a person it’s infectious and it makes you want to be that way,” said Milluzzo. “She’s instilled that into me and I feel like I am a better person now because of her.”

Photo credit: Vincent Gallo