As Mr. Tierney tossed Starburst candies to students who answered questions correctly on a KahootIt! game about coding, one student randomly asked: “Is it raining?”
With a sarcastic grin, Mr. Tierney replied, “No, there’s just water falling down from nowhere.”
Originally hailing from Pittsburg, Kansas, Mr. Todd Tierney earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Technology Education from North Carolina A & T State University. His high school Baseball coach, Jim Flax, inspired him to become a teacher.
“He always said, ‘If you love it, it’s not really working,’” Mr. Tierney said. “He made learning fun. When I saw the Technology program at the Middle School, with the kids making rockets, bridges and CO2 Dragsters, I knew that I would enjoy doing this.”
Before coming here in 1998, Mr. Tierney taught 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Technology education at Southeast Middle School in Greensboro, North Carolina, for four years.
In his nearly three decades at Kimmons, Mr. Tierney taught a range of engineering and tech courses including PLTW: Robotics, Design and Modeling, Flight and Space, Future Engineers, and Career Explorations. He also sponsored the TSA (Technology Student Association) club and took his students to Fayetteville to compete in the Razorback Challenge.
Mr. Tierney worked with “many wonderful people” here and all but the first two principals whose photos hang on the walls near the AP offices. He ate lunch with the custodial team every single day since he first started.
“I miss Ms. Margarita Cardenas, a custodian who would fix beans, tortillas and delicious enchiladas for lunch,” Mr. Tierney said. “I still talk to her occasionally on the phone, and I still see Mr Morris who taught Social Studies and retired a few years ago. I will miss Pauline, who takes care of me daily, checking to see that I brought lunch, etc. I will miss my CTE staff who do so much, especially Ms. Putman who takes care of everything. We started the same year here and have worked together for the entire 28 years.”
When reflecting on Mr. Tierney and CTE colleague Ms. Putman being in one place for their entire careers, one word came to Dr. Hinkle’s mind: loyalty.
“Mr. Tierney and Ms. Putman showed immense loyalty not only to Kimmons but also to the students and the community we serve,” Dr. Hinkle, principal, said. “Their dedication is truly commendable, and it is inspiring to see them retiring with the opportunity to pursue new adventures. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to them both for their unwavering loyalty and remaining steadfast and committed.”
Mrs. Springs, who worked with Mr. Tierney for 23 of his 28 years at Kimmons, appreciated his sense of humor.
“We cracked up at the same things!” Mrs. Springs said. “He also has a big heart and gave so much back to Kimmons students and staff over the years – but always on the sly.”
Mrs. Springs’ favorite memory of working with Mr. Tierney is when they had to design a departmental hand signal for our CTE professional learning community.
“Let’s just say that it’s an inside joke, and Scouts are not the only ones who are always prepared,” Mrs. Springs said.
Mrs. Melton also appreciated Mr. Tierney’s ability to make her laugh, and she liked listening to his stories.
“I always look forward to seeing him in the hallway because I know he will say something that will make my day that much better,” Mrs. Melton said.
Former colleague Mrs. Holland admitted that she and Mr. Tierney could tell many stories on each other.
“Tierney and I were the wild cards of the CTE crew!” Mrs. Holland said. “We all complimented each other so well! We had so many good times and were able to vent to each other but also support each other.”
One of Mr. Tierney’s favorite memories was actually quite embarrassing.
“At the time, those Office Depot “help” buttons were very popular, and one of my students had one that kept going off in class,” Mr. Tierney said. “I took it and accidentally pushed the button. Let’s just say that it was not the Office Depot version but some very inappropriate saying. I was mortified!”
Mr. Tierney offered some advice for new teachers.
“Enjoy your time with the kids, spend time with your family and try to learn something new every day,” Mr. Tierney said.
As for what to do next, Mr. Tierney wants to learn to sail and travel with his wife.
“We would like to explore all the things the United States has to offer, including visiting all the National Parks, and also go to Europe,” Mr. Tierney said. “We have been talking about this for a while and looking forward to a leisure schedule.”
