Finley Health Teacher Dee Weinstock Eyes Retirement
Dee Weinstock isn’t counting the days just yet, but the longtime J. Taylor Finley Middle School health teacher is certainly looking forward to her retirement at the end of June.
Mrs. Weinstock attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Brownsville, Brooklyn before earning undergraduate and graduate degrees at Brooklyn College. You can say that she has been in a classroom for most of her life.
“When both of my children were going to school full time, I looked in the education section of the New York Times and there was an ad for a health teacher in Huntington,” Mrs. Weinstock recalled. “I applied and got the job.”
She began her career in the district in September 1985 as a part-time (60 percent) health teacher at Huntington High School, filling out the remainder of her schedule as a study hall and hallway assistant, covering classes for teachers and carrying out a long list of other duties. District officials promised Ms. Weinstock she would be a full-time teacher the following school year and that is exactly what happened.
“For the following eight years I was split between the high school and Finley,” Mrs. Weinstock said. She was assigned to Finley full-time in 1993 and has taught there exclusively ever since.
“One of the things I love most about Finley is the camaraderie and support I received from my colleagues over the 30 years of teaching,” Mrs. Weinstock said. “But the best thing about teaching is the students. I love teaching my kids and I love learning from them as well. Every day I find something to smile about and that makes my job worthwhile.”
Even after three decades of teaching, Mrs. Weinstock still enjoys what she does. “There aren’t many people I know who say they love getting up every morning and going to work,” she said. “I do. This is what I will miss most when I retire.”
With less than four months remaining in the school year, Mrs. Weinstock is increasingly thinking about what lies ahead for her once she turns out the lights in her classroom for the last time in late June.
“I have three granddaughters that will occupy much of my time when I retire,” Mrs. Weinstock said. “I also love to travel and hope to travel frequently in the future. The first trip I am planning is to Iceland. I hear it is beautiful with amazing natural sights.”
For many years, Mrs. Weinstock served on the executive board of the Associated Teachers of Huntington, the professional organization for the district’s teachers. She was the group’s president for a long stretch and negotiated contracts during some painful financial periods.
Like most veteran teachers, Mrs. Weinstock has “seen it all” and new faculty might find her counsel to be valuable. She has served under several directors, assistant principals and principals and nine different superintendents.
“The best advice I can give a new teacher is to work very hard honing your craft,” Mrs. Weinstock said. “Be enthusiastic in the classroom and show your students you love being there with them. Show your students you care about them. They will respond to that and it will make your job easier and more enjoyable.”