Two teachers left students and the school behind unexpectedly this month.

Miho Hirata, English teacher, and Joshua Reddoch, science and health teacher, were among the most recent teachers to leave before the end of the semester.

Hirata worked at Alta Vista for two and a half years.

Hirata plans to be employed with The Cruz Line, as a cruise ship waitress and a Japanese translator for about five months.

Yet Hirata may still plan to teach, but in Manhattan, New York within the next two years.

She said Alta Vista gave her a good experience and remembered that once she was here for one block, she decided she was going to stay for a long time.

Hirata was loved by many students.

“I’m sad and disappointed that she is gone. I liked the way she taught and her attitude towards students,” said Dulce Vasquez, senior.

Hirata mentioned that leaving was “a complicated situation.” She said, “It has absolutely nothing to do with the kids.”

Hirata misses the students and all of her friends that she made here.

“I miss the students like crazy. They can call me at any time,” she said.

Reddoch also left unexpectedly, ending his teaching career as well, for personal reasons before block two ended.

He is to become a medical sales representative.

For one of his two years of teaching, Reddoch taught at Sunnyside High School and Alta Vista at the same time.

He taught health, earth science, and ESL (English as a Second Language).

‘’Alta Vista has some of the best students and teachers out there,” he said.

Students miss him dearly.

“I think it’s bad for him to leave because he is a great teacher, and most of his students pass his classes including me. He is also a very understanding teacher and I hate to see him go,” said Junior Luis Arvizu.

Reddoch shared his feelings toward leaving the students as well.

“What I will miss most at our school are, all of the students, especially those that made the same effort to get to know me as I got to know them,” he said

Reddoch had a lot of confidence in his students and believed that every student was smart in their own way.

“I’m going to miss students and staff. I wish the very best to everyone. Mr. Reddoch’s ‘boys’ all better live up to their full potential,” he said.

Principal Alicia Alvarez had a few comments on the teachers’ saddening departures.

“I […] can offer as much support to a teacher as needed,” she said. “It’s difficult for students and for the school to lose teachers.”