On a quiet morning in her middle school classroom, surrounded by maps, textbooks, and decades of memories, Ms. Sheila Marks reflected on a teaching career that has shaped generations of students, one lesson at a time.
For over two decades, Ms. Marks has accomplished far more than teaching.
Her journey began with a spark in her very own eighth-grade history class, where she was first awed by her teacher’s ability to bring history to life. “That was the first class that I was like, wow, I really like this class,” she recalls. That early inspiration followed her to college, where she declared history as her major and discovered that the classroom was exactly where she belonged.
Ms. Marks’s path to PCDS was anything but direct. After landing her first teaching job at an all-boys boarding school in New Hampshire, she found herself teaching Spanish and typing, rather than following her true passion: U.S. History.
When she began searching for a new opportunity, she never imagined Arizona would become the place she called home. “All I knew about Arizona was that it was the last state to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day,” she admitted. After countless interviews, teaching a lesson with unfamiliar students, and even a rattlesnake scare, she accepted a position teaching eighth-grade U.S. History, planning to stay for just two years.
She stayed for 25.
Over time, Ms. Marks became the heart and soul of middle school history. Students echo this thought, sharing that Ms. Marks’s love for teaching and the subject matter was contagious.“Ms. Marks has a genuine passion for history, and it showed in all of her lessons. She wanted us all to love and understand history the way that she did, which made her class so special,” sophomore Jyothi Patil shared.
Beyond students, Ms. Marks formed lasting bonds with colleagues and became part of a close-knit faculty. “She is not only a co-worker, but also a best friend. We both started in the same year!” Middle school history teacher Ms. McKean said. “Everyone who knows Sheila loves her compassion and kindness. She is a connector.”
Her impact extended far beyond the classroom, with students remembering her most for trips that made history tangible. “She always knows more than I do on the Boston trip, and I often defer to her for truth versus myth in all things history,” Ms. McKean said. “She loves her lobster rolls, which is the primary reason she goes on the trip, I think.”
From walking the Freedom Trail in Boston and kayaking the Colorado River, to her favorite trip of all, Catalina Island, each experience left a lasting impression. “The kids have no electronics, and they don’t miss it once they’re there,” Ms. Marks said. “They’re too busy. They’re outside, having fun, and getting to know people they might not usually talk to.”
As she prepares for retirement, Ms. Marks looks forward to growing closer to her parents and beginning a new chapter in Florida, where she hopes to build new friendships through activities, clubs, and taking rides in her brand-new golf cart. Still, leaving is bittersweet. “I’ll miss the people the most,” she said. “I’ll miss the teachers, and I’ll miss seeing students grow up.”
She plans to stay connected with the PCDS community by following former students’ journeys, returning for the annual Bridge-the-Gap celebration, and, of course, watching Dancing With the Stars–– a classroom tradition and Ms. Marks’ staple that students will never forget.
“I’ve enjoyed 99% of my time here. And for 25 years, that’s pretty good,” Ms. Marks said. Although she won’t be on campus in person, she will always be in the hearts of her students and colleagues, remembered for her kindness, dedication, and unwavering passion for her community.
“I just hope the students like history a little bit more because of my class, even if that’s not their passion,” Ms. Marks reflected. “And I just hope they remember me fondly.”
