Isabel Lawrence
News Editor
After 31 years of teaching at NCHS, history teacher Douglas Farrenkopf has annouced that he will retire at the end of this year. Mr. Farrenkopf is also the director of the Afternoon Instructrional Program as well as summer school and the creator of the Greater New Canaan Enrichment Program.
Mr. Farrenkopf was not always sure about his teaching career. “I started to teach many years ago in the ‘70s in inner city schools, and to be honest with you, it was tough,” he said. “I thought that the future youth were in big trouble. And I wanted to leave teaching because it was a sad state of affairs.”
Upon his arrival at NCHS, however, his dedication to teaching was revived. “When I came here, it was totally amazing,” he said. “There was a culture where parents had told their kids that education was the future, and if you want to have your dreams come true, you get educated. And the kids believed it because their parents were great examples. They were models of what could really happen if you worked hard, kids believed in that.”
With a new environment, Mr. Farrenkopf was able to expand his teaching horizons. “It’s has been a great place to plant seeds, educational seeds,” he said. “It’s been a fertile community and things can grow quite quickly in New Canaan if you’re willing to step up and take a leadership position, make it happen. And I’ve enjoyed that a lot here.”
Mr. Farrenkopf has had no shortage of leadership positions, heading the Afternoon Instructional Program, summer school and the Enrichment Program. Assistant Principal Ari Rothman watched Mr. Farrenkopf as he grew in these positions. “As the Director of the Afternoon Instructional Program (AIP), he has been the person who everyone has gone to when students have not been successful during the day, and he’s very creative in finding ways for them to meet the same standards that everybody else has,” Mr. Rothman said. “Everybody works with him. And he’s been very good and very accomodating. He maintains his standards, which is very important, but he’s always willing to work with people.”
History Department Head Richard Webb, also noted Mr. Farrenkopf’s work with others. “He’s what I call the C.M.O., the Chief Morale
According to Mr. Rothman, Mr. Farrenkopf will not only be remembered for his ability to work with others, but for his character. “He’s a
very kind, easy going person.” he said. “I think kids, especially since he mostly has seniors, kids really appreciate his classes, really enjoy his classes.”
Mr. Webb said students responded to Mr. Farrenkopf’s teaching style. “He was a class advisor and the kids loved him,” Mr. Webb said. “One day in the auditorium he was in an assembly and he was speaking, and some kid at the back just yelled, ‘Dougie Fresh!’ and that became his nickname. I’ve never forgotten that.”
Despite his popularity among faculty and students, Mr. Farrenkopf decided it was time to end his teaching career. “[The reason] for my retirement? I got old,” he said. “My thinking now is that often when you’re young, you can’t do the things that you would like to do. And finally you get to a point when you’re ready to retire, and you say, ‘You know, I’m gonna do some of the things that I would have like to have done when I was younger.’”
After his retirement this year, Mr. Farrenkopf said he plans to travel.“I have all the time in the world to do nothing, and I have all the time to do whatever I want whenever I want to do it,” he said. “My biggest worry is going be making sure my wife doesn’t catch me all the time doing nothing.”
