For a quarter of a century, Wellness, P.E., and Yoga teacher Holly Lafore had been a constant presence at LHS, a teacher whose dedication to the well-being of the school shaped not only her students but also her colleagues.
Just a few days before February Break 2025, she announced that she would not be returning to her classroom after the break. Though it wasn’t just the classroom Lafore left behind; it was a part of her life she had poured her soul into.
As her final days at school flew by, the weight of leaving hit— the school wasn’t just a workplace to Lafore, but instead it was her community.
“I’m going to miss the people the most,” Lafore said. “I’m going to miss the students, but I know they come and go. I’ll miss the people I saw coming into work every day, but I know I’ll still see them. It’s time for me to make a change for my family and my own well-being.”
Lafore’s commitment and passion for her job made it hard for her to say goodbye. Lafore first started working at LHS in 2000 as a lacrosse coach and got the P.E. teacher position that fall. In those 25 years, her love for teaching has only expanded.
“When I first started it, I loved it,” Lafore said. “I loved doing the Powderpuff stuff, too, and the Lancer Wellness Day. I especially love seeing students’ growth from the beginning of the year, like the Wellness classes, and then having [students] as sophomores. It’s fun to see you grow so much. So, I’ll miss that.”
Her decision to leave was not an easy one to make, but she had to focus on “taking care of” herself and “being more available” for her loved ones.
Lafore felt as though she had not been prioritizing her health, like how she has taught so many others to do, and that “it was time to make a change.” She is also excited for the new opportunities this switch will provide.
“I am looking forward to, honestly, being able to do things with my daughters after school,” Lafore said. “It would be nice to be home with them and make them breakfast and send them off to school, things that a lot of parents do when their kids are younger. I just never did that.”
Despite this lifestyle change for her, Lafore has not traded her personal life for her passion for teaching. She continues to teach multiple online VLACS classes, as she has for the past six years, among her other roles.
“I help teach nursing, which I love,” Lafore said. “I teach a life management skills class, which is another awesome class, and then I teach a P.E. class. I really like helping and supporting them.”
While teaching next door to her colleague and close friend, Wellness and P.E teacher Ashley Tebbetts, for many years, Lafore also works alongside Tebbetts on VLACS. Tebbetts has been teaching VLACS classes for nine years, and the two will continue to collaborate with each other through this platform.
Lafore and Tebbet’s bond has only strengthened since they met, which makes Lafore’s absence from school more difficult.
“It’s really hard not to have her here,” Tebbetts said.
Though they do continue to talk to each other every day.
Tebbetts expressed her sadness about Lafore leaving, not just for her, but also for those who will miss the chance to have Lafore as a teacher.
“This job will never be the same without her here, and I have to cope and navigate that every day,” Tebbets said. “I grieve for the future students who would have been going here and that they didn’t get to be inspired by her, my kids included. My kids live in the district, and it makes me sad to think that they’re not going to have an opportunity to be with her.”
Some of Lafore’s fondest memories from teaching in-person include sharing a room with Mrs. Tebbets for so many years and working together and collaborating on the bulletin boards in their adjacent rooms. Other memories include larger projects, such as class advising the classes of 2016 and 2020 together.
During COVID, not many large events were able to happen. But, with leadership from Lafore and Tebbetts, the class of 2020 was able to have prom, graduation, and other senior ceremonies that year, all including a mask dress code and outdoor tables and chairs. Over 50 tables were set up at the prom at the Castleton in Windham, providing this class’s students a night to remember.
(Photo courtesy of Mrs. Lafore)
“It was so inspiring to just be able to work alongside her and her attention to detail, her organization, the way that we were able to create events,” Tebbetts said. “We got to see how happy the students were and how proud they were. That made a difference for us.”
Another one of Lafore’s attributes shown through her teaching is empathy.
“She’s just so aware of what other people might be navigating,” Tebbets said. “She just is so sensitive to the thought process of others, and I think what’s so unique about her is being so thoughtful about how this could impact others and how she could support others.”
The way Lafore supported students in and out of the classroom emotionally was “seamless,” according to Tebbetts. She made reaching out to students and ensuring their needs look effortless and “like it was her typical day.”
Lafore continues to find ways to form connections with students in this next chapter in her life. Along with VLACS, she has also started teaching for an online school in Massachusetts that requires only part-time in-person work.
“I’ll be teaching at a school called ‘Tecca’,’” Lafore said. “It’s convenient that it is online so that I can be at home.”
Reflecting back on her time as a full-time in-person teacher, she expressed that she has many favorite teaching moments, but one in particular was bringing her P.E. students to the ropes course located between the high school and middle school.
“I really enjoyed doing those activities with my students,” Lafore said. “My coworkers that I did that with made it just a lot of fun. We had a lot of laughs, and it just made coming to work fun. I loved it, so that was one of my fondest memories.”
Lafore’s impact on the Wellness Department and the Londonderry community has been immense. Even if she does not know the full extent, she will continue to be deeply missed by her coworkers.
(Photo courtesy of Mrs. Lafore)
“She doesn’t realize how much of a bright light she is to every person that she works with,” Tebbets said. “She was always so true to her beliefs in what she thought was best for the students. Her commitment to wellness in all capacities of their life was so true to who she is. She would dedicate her time and energy to anything district wide that enhanced student well-being. She did not always receive the praise and the credit that she deserved for her commitment to that process.”
Though it is time for Lafore to shine her light on the next chapter of her life, she will cherish the connections she has formed here.
“I’m really going to miss the friendships I’ve made with this community, especially the 600 wing,” Lafore said. “It’s just like a home. So, I’m going to miss them. There are a lot of good friendships that I made, and I’ll miss seeing those people and the students every day. But, I know I’ll still make connections.”
