Chris Fisher bid Pleasant Valley School District a fond farewell Monday. As of today, he will be a retired educator, having dedicated the last 38 years to education.

Fisher graduated from Pleasant Valley High School in 1973 and finds it a fitting circle of life to end his education career at Pleasant Valley School District.He graduated from Bloomsburg University with a degree in elementary education, earning his master's degree at East Stroudsburg University in reading and his administrative certificate from Lehigh University.His first teaching job was in the Towanda Middle School as a reading specialist for one year. He then was a reading teacher at Wilson Elementary for a year and a half. He began teaching at Pleasant Valley High School in 1980 as a reading specialist, then taught computer science. He was an assistant athletic director, then became the administration director of student activities.His responsibilities and title changed over the years."I was director of administrative services and safety, principal of pupil personnel, assistant to the superintendent for professional and support personnel. I've still been involved in athletics and safety. My current title is assistant to the superintendent for pupil personnel," says Fisher.He is very proud of one distinction he has worked for all the superintendents of Pleasant Valley.Fisher smiles as he says, "Technically, I was still in junior high school when John C. Mills was the first superintendent. Gerald Miller was the coach for the basketball team and I was an assistant coach, so I can claim working for Superintendent Mills."The second superintendent was John Nye, and he hired Fisher in 1980 as a reading specialist.Fisher was born and raised in the West End."It has been wonderful to have always lived here, always being a part of the community. I was a part of the West End Fire Company. I've always wanted to be a contributing member of the community. I coached and taught here. Pleasant Valley is a great school district. It has wonderful teachers, great students. This is a very strong and positive organization. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful career."It has meant a lot to him to be a part of the district's many changes over the years, through the growth, through the decline."I've had the opportunity of offering my perspective to the experience as a student to an employee. I've seen so many wonderful teachers, wonderful things being done in the classroom that has helped me to give my point of reference to help someone else to do my job," he says.He is very proud to have been one of the original Pleasant Valley Education Foundation Board members. Fisher has been the director of the foundation since its inception."It was Frank Pullo who gave me the opportunity to form the education foundation. We give classroom grants in the amount of $35,000 a year, for guest authors, artists and writers," he says.His plans for retirement include seeing his daughter, Jennifer, get married next month and becoming more active in the fire company."And take it as it comes," he says.Whatever his plans, this will include his wife of 35 years, Joanne, a teacher for 36 years, who retired in 2014.Many of the Pleasant Valley Area School District's board of directors and administration and staff voiced their congratulations and well wishes to Fisher at the last school board meeting.Pleasant Valley Middle School Principal Rocco Seiler thanked him and wished his mentor a happy retirement, as did Todd VanNortwich, intermediate school principal. High school principal John Gress said he was grateful to Fisher for the impact he had on him and many other people, including students and the community.Elementary Principal Erica Greer thanked Fisher for "getting me to where I am today," she said.School Director Susan Kresge said, "I'm sad to see you go, but your retirement is well-deserved. Good luck."Fisher told the district's principals that he thinks each one of the schools do an excellent job in community service."You teach our children a valuable lesson," he said.There are many in the district who believe Fisher did that as well.Kenneth Newman, assistant to the superintendent, pointed to the district's words of its mission, "Excellence in Education: A Community Commitment.""He lived it every day," he said of Fisher.Superintendent Carole Geary has nothing but high praise for Fisher."Chris has done a great job for Pleasant Valley School District. He is very conscientious and works round the clock to get the job done. It is not uncommon to get emails from him most evenings. He is our number one negotiator for all contracts," she said. "He has saved the district hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past several years."I have worked closely with him on a number of projects. The two that I think have been really great accomplishments have been our cyber academy and ICE program. (Pleasant Valley Cyber Academy) has saved us $345,000 so far this school year. Not only is the district saving money but we are offering a quality program for our students," says Geary.The other project that he developed was the Intensive Classroom Environment that uses the cyber program with the addition of a teacher and para professional support, counseling, and career planning that helps students who are struggling in the traditional school setting school make it to graduation."We are very proud that in the past three years we have graduated 13 students from the program. Those are 13 students who were not on the path to graduation before ICE. Chris was key in developing both programs," Geary adds."He is one of the hardest-working people I know and cares so much about the school district and our students. He will be missed terribly. Recently he was instrumental in renting both the Chestnuthill and Polk Schools, transitioning the Eldred School to Eldred Township, and has been working with appraisers, Polk Township, and our attorney to get the Operations Facility (the old Scotty's Fashion building) ready for sale."He is the driving force behind our proactive approach to school safety."Honestly, the list could go on and on. In my opinion, his greatest quality is that he has always had a very creative way of looking at situations or problems which is helpful when looking for solutions. His retirement is a very big loss to the school district," says Geary.