In the 2023-24 school year, more than any of the other years, Robinson has had more teachers leaving the school, which leaves most students wondering when will they have a real teacher again.

While there have been teacher shortages everywhere, Robinson especially has been a victim of this with a multitude of unfilled positions in both the math and physics departments. After the previous physics teacher of the 2022-23 school year, Sophie Weslati, took a leave of absence, Robinson received a new physics teacher, Robert Hart. Hart went on to teach for the first few weeks of school when he received a job offer in Iowa. Luckily, Russel Pienias took the open position and is the new physics teacher, hopefully, for the rest of the year.

Not only have these leaves affected the physics department but also the math department.

Joshua Gutierrez, a former math teacher at Robinson, had to transfer schools and now teaches at Sumner High School due to the distance between his home and Robinson. This unexpected vacancy has left many kids without a teacher and has them worrying about what will happen next with their grades. Brenda Seal one of the school’s now former math teachers had been helping partially substitute and assign work to the students after Gutierrez left, while Robinson looked for a new teacher to fill the spot. Unfortunately, Seal also left Robinson due to an offer at another school.

Gutierrez’s departure has left students without a coherent plan for the future. Kelly Sandafer expressed how difficult it’s been for her to learn without a teacher.

“It’s really hard to learn because I have to watch videos and there is no one to hold me accountable or help me when I need help,” Sandafer said. “So, I sort of have to teach myself and be my teacher.”

Dave Brown, Robinson’s Principal, explained that these losses aren’t anything new just unique to Robinson this school year.

“This isn’t anything new when you’re in education this happens all the time teachers come and go… that’s just life, things happen. This year it may be unique to Robinson because we normally don’t have a lot of people who leave Robinson, especially now we have a teacher shortage,” Brown said. “Right now, there are 28 high schools in Hillsborough County, and every high school averaging about four openings per school where they just don’t have teachers. The way the job market is now there are so many jobs out there for people that have some sort of educational skill. It’s not easy we’re constantly looking for new teachers. It’s sad for the kids because you’re getting used to a teacher.”

While these losses are hard to deal with, Brown keeps a positive outlook for the future of Robinson and its staff.

“It’s hard because we’re trying to find people to come into our industry and teach and there’s just not a lot of people out there, so it puts stress on the rest of us,” Brown said. “It’s hard we cope as best as we can and were just fortunate.”