The sound of turning pages and scratching chalk have passed through classrooms for more than three decades. As the 2025-2026 school year comes to a close, English teacher Don Kroeller Jr. is ready to put his pen down for good.
“Never in a million years would I have expected to be a teacher. At various points in my life, I wanted to be an engineer, a chef, a sports agent, an advertising executive or a writer for a rock magazine,” Kroeller said. “But in the end, I suppose those were not paths I was destined to take.”
He transitioned from three part-time jobs to his teaching career. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature at Old Dominion University, then became a substitute teacher. Kroeller was then hired just one month before Ocean Lakes High School opened in 1994.
“I was a substitute teacher for two years, as it was incredibly difficult to get a job teaching in Virginia Beach,” Kroeller said. “During my time at Kempsville High School, I was introduced to Mr. Deviney, who later hired me to help open up Ocean Lakes.”
Since the beginning of his teaching career, Kroeller taught every level of 10th grade English offered: core, honors and academy. He was also an assistant coach for softball, assistant sponsor for the Scholastic Bowl, sponsor of the Ebb Tide literary arts magazine, sponsor for the Film Appreciation Club and part-time announcer for various sporting events.
“I was lucky enough to work with a plethora of professional teachers in the English department, and they were all kind enough to share their resources,” Kroeller said. “I plan to pass along as much as I’ve accumulated over the years to my peers.”
Though Kroeller retires from teaching in June, he will sub at Ocean Lakes, read for Scholastic Bowl and work the sidelines of football games as part of the “chain gang” which is a group of teachers and adults who are responsible for marking downs and distances at every home football game. He has already planned a few trips this year and is also looking forward to spending more time with his grandchildren in Texas.
“Mr. Kroeller has been an integral part of this school for a long time, and I will be sad to see him go,” AP Chemistry and core Chemistry teacher Michael Stopper said. “He is a funny and caring person who cares deeply for all the students at Ocean Lakes. I do hope to see him at football games, as he is a stalwart member of the chain gang.”
Additionally, there are seven other teachers who plan on retiring or leaving the school this year: Lisa Anderson, Jacqueline Blair, Charlene Brown, David Bostic, Catherine Dickason, Gary Felch and Karen Simmons.
“With the incredible group of teachers departing this year, I feel a sense of sadness but also responsibility,” Stopper said. “Our school is nothing without the people who make it up, and those departing teachers are shining examples of what it means to be an Ocean Lakes dolphin.”
Kroeller’s annual goal was to help students become critical thinkers and make healthy life decisions. He also strived to help students improve their communication in speech and writing. Through literature and journaling, he has hoped to open his students’ minds and include the values of writing.
“His retirement is well deserved, and I am honored to be taught by such an amazing teacher,” sophomore Arabeliz Agudiez said. “He leaves a legacy for us to continue, and I am beyond grateful for the ways he has changed Ocean Lakes.”
