In early summer of this year, choir students received a letter from their director Paula Martin, saying that the previous 2013-2014 school year would be her last at OHS.

In her letter, Martin addressed the rumors regarding her retirement. She told her students that she would officially retire from teaching public high school after wrestling with the decision since last December.

Martin taught at OHS from 1992-2014. Numerous trophies and awards deck out nearly every corner of the choir room. However, to Martin, none of these are the best part of the job.

“The best part year after year is watching my students mature. Watching my students grow in their musical skills as well as seeing my students develop into remarkable young men and women is the best part of being a high school choir teacher,” Martin said.

To the students that were a part of the 2013-2014 school year, Martin also says: “The students in all of the choirs 2013-2014 were talented, hardworking, and fun to be with. I am very proud of all their accomplishments and am honored to have been their teacher”.

After OHS, Martin will be teaching music majors how to teach choir at both Webster and Lindenwood Universities. She will also be giving vocal lessons and conducting the women’s ensemble at Lindenwood University.

Erin Falloon, the assistant choral director at OHS, also left at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Falloon’s husband attained a new job position, and she said goodbye to her home at OHS from 2008-2014.  As for the departure of both teachers, this leaves the new directors with big shoes to fill. However, Martin says she has “total confidence” in Mr. Wegener and Mrs. Ayres. Mr. Wegener was an OHS graduate and was active in the choir program. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from the University of Mississippi, and has already been a choral director for a number of years. Mrs. Ayres was a student teacher at OHS and has done consultant work at OHS for three years.