As many students know, a well-loved teacher—Mr. Hanson—retired last year. He’s taught a variety of subjects at LHS, including marketing, international business, video game design, computer science, and sports marketing. While many are aware of his retirement, not many know the story behind his journey—where he started, what he’s done, and what comes next.
Mr. Hanson began his college career at Rutgers University in New Jersey and later pursued a Master’s degree at Westfield State University in Massachusetts. But teaching was not his first career. “I worked in retail management for probably over 30 years,” he shared. He also spent several years in the motion picture industry, which adds greatly to his already diverse job background.
He didn’t begin his teaching career at LHS, but has spent six years here out of a total of 14 years in education. “I love it. Really. I love the kids, really great kids, great administration—it’s been a very good experience for me,” Mr. Hanson said.
When asked what he would have done if not for teaching, Mr. Hanson jokes, “Golf pro,” before adding seriously, “I like where I’m at. I think I would become a teacher again.”
While his primary focus at LHS has been business-related classes, Mr. Hanson also has experience teaching history and sociology. “I have my master’s in history,” he mentioned, and although he hoped to teach it at LHS, there simply weren’t any available positions at the time.
Among all the classes he’s taught, his favorite has been international business, closely followed by sports marketing. “International business encompasses what’s going on today. Globalization connects all countries, it’s one of the most relevant courses students can take.” He also expressed a strong appreciation for teaching personal finance, calling it “something you can apply immediately,” and noted how essential it is for students to understand things like identity theft, credit, and investing.
Despite his wide teaching range, he admitted that computer science ranked lowest on his list, but not because he disliked it, but because his passion lies more in business and marketing. “If I had to rank them, computer science would be on the bottom,” he said.
Outside the classroom, Mr. Hanson enjoys traveling and playing golf. “We usually go to Europe once a year and Jamaica every year,” he said. He also used to umpire but had to stop due to back issues. His retirement plans are simple and joyful: “Play golf 35 times a week and go to the beach 75 times a week… and travel as much as we can.”
His favorite travel spot is Long Beach Island, New Jersey, which is where he plans to spend a good portion of his retirement life.
At the end, Mr. Hanson reflected on what he’ll miss most. “The kids, I teach ninth through twelfth grade, so I get to see students grow from little snot-nosed pains into mature young adults. Especially the boys—total knuckleheads as freshmen. But by senior year, the growth is amazing.” He added, “It’s hard when seniors leave because I know I might never see them again. Some students I’ll always remember—some were a pain, some were amazing. But I truly believe the future is in good hands.”
As Mr. Hanson moves on to the next chapter, LHS is left with the lasting impact of a teacher who brought genuine joy for what he taught, humor, and put his heart into teaching.