Recently, English teacher Alex Colson announced that she would be transitioning to the district office as Spartanburg District One’s High School Academic Coach.

This role includes assisting teachers at both Chapman and Landrum and leading professional development.

“(The job will be) trying to help teachers be better in the classroom to help them advance their students while also keeping major district goals in mind overall,” Colson said.

Colson has called Chapman home for the last 10 years. She was encouraged by family members with Chapman connections to apply.

Her cousins attended Chapman as students, and her uncle urged her to apply for the position.

“As soon as I interviewed with the DO and then here at Chapman with (former Chapman principal) Mr. Dawkins, I knew this was the place that I was meant to be,” Colson said.

Throughout those 10 years, Colson created memories that will last a lifetime.

“One of my favorite memories was when the 300 hall did Office Olympics a couple of times,” she said. “There were competitions, and there were some chairs racing down the hallway.”

During the last 10 years, Colson has taught nearly all levels of English, but she has also coached cheerleading and basketball, been named District Teacher of the Year and mentored young teachers.

“When you talk about who represents Chapman, there’s a lot of people over the years, but Mrs. Colson represents what you want Chapman to be like,” Principal Matt Davis said.

Students said Colson has created a positive environment for them throughout the years.

“She would come with us during our team meals,” junior London Jabber, one of Colson’s former athletes, said. “It would just be a really big family environment. It would just always be really inviting.”

Sophomore Keilyn Wilson noted Colson’s impact as well.

“In general, she’s a really positive person,” she said. “She always checks up on us in the mornings.”

Freshman Sarah Gaskins said she appreciates how Colson tries to make even tough days feel manageable.

“Every day I walk into Mrs. Colson’s class, and she’s always like, ‘Hey guys! Happy Monday!’” she said. “It’s a Monday, and we don’t want to be here, and she knows that, but she always tries to make our lives better by just having a positive attitude.”

In her new role, Colson will still be at Chapman regularly but not daily.

Gaskins said that not seeing Colson each day will be a challenge.

“I’m not going to get to hear her voice,” she said. “I just love it so much. It makes me smile, and I’m going to miss not being able to see her every day.”

Davis is excited for her to take on this new role even though he will miss what she brings to Chapman.

“The beauty of all this is that by moving into this role that she was made for, she’s going to be able to impact a lot more people,” Davis said. “I’m going to miss her as a teacher and a role model for other teachers, a role model for students, and a role model for me,” Davis said.

Despite her excitement for this new job, Colson said she will miss the Chapman community.

“I will miss the people here every single day,” she said. “I know that we say, ‘Family,’ and that sounds clichéd, but this place is my family, and it has been for 10 years.”

She noted, specifically, that she would miss the English department.

“They’re the most incredible people, the most intelligent people, and they are the ones that you want in your corner,” she said.

The English department feels the same way about her.

“She has been an integral part of our department,” Holly Hollifield said. “She has been a leader in curriculum issues, and she is a unifying force.  She makes every student feel special in her classroom.”

Alex Hollis echoed Hollifield’s praise and said that he’d miss their fake arguing.

“Her passion for education is contagious, and I always appreciate how much effort she put into her students and into supporting Chapman High School as a whole,” he said. “One thing that I will miss is our very serious friendly rivalry about who the best Alex on the 300 hall is.”

Julie McAntyre is one of Colson’s closest friends and says the transition is difficult.

“Mrs. Colson has been a constant source of joy and camaraderie at Chapman and especially on the 300 hall,” she said. “Personally, she has been one of my closest friends for over 10 years, and her moving up and on is bittersweet for me. I know she will take her contagious enthusiasm into her new role and knock it out of the park.”

Cassey McKown, who worked with Colson in the department as well as in a program for young teachers, said her absence will be felt.

“Alex Colson is not just a teacher at Chapman,” she said. “She’s a friend, encourager, mentor and so much more. Without Mrs. Colson I would not have taken as many opportunities as I have in this career. She is an intricate part of the CHS family but especially the 300 hall.

As Colson transitions into a new chapter of her life, she wants to leave her students with one reminder:

“I love them always, and I’m always in their corner. I’m always here for them.”