Mr. Ackerman, a social studies teacher who has been working at Cardozo for 31 years, has officially decided it is time to make a change in his life, saying goodbye to the building where he has spent more than half of his life teaching.
Why this year out of all? “There just comes a time when you know,” he said. “I’ve been doing this for 31 years; my time has just come.”
Mr. Ackerman decided that the 2025-2026 school year would be his last year in the classroom, after three decades of communication, dedication, and craft. Mr. Ackerman has finally decided to change the way he’s been living, including where he lives.
After he retires, he plans on having fun without worries. “I’m going to enjoy my life near farms and take small jobs,” he explained. “I’m going to tutor and I’m not going to commute and wake up at 4:30 in the morning anymore.”
Although he’s happy to retire, he’ll never forget the memories he’s made while teaching. There are many things to remember when working such a long career. But, one of his several core memories he looks back fondly on is a door decorating contest he did with one of his students.
“One of my favorite memories at Dozo was winning the door decorating contest,” Mr. Ackerman said. “We worked really hard, and this kid, they did so much.”
Mr. Ackerman has always been happy to build a bond with several of his students over the years. “There’s always a group of students that I remember, and I’m really going to miss that,” he said.
“I have so many memories that I’ve made with my students, but one of the most memorable ones is my 1920 project, which I asked my students to do,” he explained. “It’s a silent video, and I’ve enjoyed being able to watch and see the interesting ideas that they’ve been able to create.”
School doesn’t have to be dreadful when there are people like Mr. Ackerman who make it better. Mr. Ackerman carries himself with energy every day without fail and knows how to teach with passion. However, social studies isn’t Mr. Ackerman’s only passion; he also has a passion for music and singing.
For those who don’t know, Mr. Ackerman has participated in events throughout his time at Cardozo, including outside of school. He’s been in rock bands since the early 2000’s, and he plans on continuing once he figures out where he wants to live.
“I’ve stopped rock and roll for a few years, and I’m definitely thinking about going back to it and starting again when I figure out where to move,” he reflected.
All of his students who have been in Mr. Ackerman’s class have passionate words to say about the teacher and he’s someone who will be forever missed. Hailey, a current junior, stated, “I had Mr. Ackerman last year, and I always liked his class. He’d always give me a fist bump before class started, and he had so much energy even when no other person did.”
Although their time in the classroom always comes to an end, teachers who bring energy and positivity into the classroom are the ones who are forever missed by the community. We wish Mr. Ackerman a relaxing and fulfilling retirement.
