The Student News Site of Westfield High School

Hi's Eye

The Student News Site of Westfield High School

Hi's Eye

The Student News Site of Westfield High School

Hi's Eye

In memory of Chuck Ropars (1958-2016)

by Olivia Hamilton & Emmy Liederman
  Every Friday at 8 a.m., the smell of hazelnut coffee filled the room. An old comedy skit played on the projector, and Mr. Chuck Ropars greeted each of his students with a smile. Even after a busy afternoon spent coaching recreational soccer in Westfield and leading a youth group at his church in Plainfield, Ropars was always ready to start a new day.
  This was a typical morning for the Bridge Program coordinator and teacher. On May 10, 2016, Ropars passed away at Overlook Hospital due to complications from a stroke he suffered in September. Although his smiling face no longer fills the halls of WHS, it is clear that he touched many lives throughout his 28 years of teaching at WHS. 
Educator
  Ropars was a WHS special services teacher and co-founder of the Bridge Program, along with retired WHS Teacher Mr. Ed Lauerman. The Bridge Program was designed to provide students with an alternative learning environment. With its focus on the emotional needs of students and a small class size, the program seems more like family than a class, and Ropars’ ultimate goal was to make his students feel at home. “He was the heart and soul of the Bridge Program,” said Ms. Sandra McCarthy, special services teacher and Bridge staff member. 
  Ropars was an invaluable member of WHS and the Bridge Program. He understood that the most important aspect of teaching was helping students. Said Ms. Andrea Lo, special education supervisor for Westfield schools: “He would say: ‘We can’t forget about the kids. We’re here for the kids.’”
  Added Superintendent Dr. Margaret Dolan: “The students and staff meant so much to Chuck. I remember always seeing him with a smile.” 
  Ropars was a devoted teacher who worked hard to ensure that his students could and would succeed. “He was the first one here and the last one out,” said Ms. Kathleen Walsh, special services teacher and member of the Bridge staff. 
  Inside the classroom, Ropars worked to cater his lessons to the needs of all his students. He took time to plan activities that engaged his students, such as Egypt Week, during which students would learn about Egypt through activities like movies and artifact excavations in sandboxes. “He would find whatever they were interested in and relate that to whatever lesson was going on,” said Walsh.
  Senior Natasjia Taylor remembers going through a PowerPoint in Ropars’ history class. Ropars threw in a picture of her favorite artist, Michael Jackson, with the sole purpose of making her smile.
  Due to the Bridge Program’s small class sizes, Ropars was always available to help and encourage his students. “If you had any questions, he was always right there. He took the time to get to know each of us personally,” said Taylor. By learning each of his students’ needs, Ropars was able to help them grow. “He knew what kids needed to be successful,” said Guidance Counselor Ms. Jan Fine.
  Ropars was not only a teacher but also an advocate for his students. “He always supported and stood behind his kids,” Lo said. His devotion to their success paid off, as many went on to pursue higher education or military service. Said Fine: “I would summarize him in three words…best teacher ever.”
Role Model
  As a teacher in the Bridge Program, Ropars served as a role model to his students. “He was a parent for these kids, who may not have had parents at home to care for them the way they needed to be cared for. He became that to many of these kids, and to us sometimes, too,” McCarthy said.
  Ropars took time to build strong relationships with his students. Sophomore Robert Jachnik remembers Ropars as one of the first teachers to whom he grew close. “When I came into the Bridge program, we connected instantly. I never really got that close to a teacher before,” said Jachnik.
  While Ropars was a leader in the classroom, he was also a model of kindness outside of the school walls. He took every opportunity he could to help kids, including working as teen coordinator of activities at the Westfield Recreation Department for 25 years and serving as a youth minister at his church, St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Stanislaus of Kostka Roman Catholic Church in Plainfield. 
  At the recreation department, Ropars spent countless hours with teens and never expected anything in return. “When he coached a soccer camp, he really didn’t want to get paid to do it,” said Westfield Recreation Department Director Ms. Tracy Kastner. “He had a passion for helping those kids who maybe felt a little lost or left out. The kids who went to his soccer camp weren’t the ones playing on travel sports teams.”
  Ropars was devoted to supporting his students’ interests. “I invited him to one of my football games…. I could hear him cheering my name so loud in the stands,” said Jachnik. “I’ll never forget that; it meant so much that he came.” Taylor also noted Ropars’ support for her activities. “When I first joined the bowling team, I was very connected to the bowling ball that I bought, so I brought it to class one time. He named it Baby Boomer, and to this day, the name has stuck,” she said. 
  Ropars never bragged about his acts of kindness. Ms. Carole Harazim, also a special services teacher and Bridge staff member, noted that every Wednesday he would quietly make sandwiches for the Community Service Club’s Extra Lunch Day. “He would never talk about it, never discuss it. He would just drop off his sandwiches,” said Harazim. 
  Said Fine: “He was just humble, and I think the two things that were most important to him were his faith and his family. He had his home family, and we were his school family.”
  The way Ropars carried himself as a teacher was an inspiration to both his students and fellow staff members. “One of his daughters is in education,” said Mr. Doug Kehler, WHS special services teacher and Bridge staff member. “I think a lot of people who have worked with him have chosen that career path because of their positive experience with him.”
Comedian
  Ropars understood the power of comedy. Whether it was through his early morning “Joke of the Day” or just a sarcastic comment, he never failed to make people laugh. 
  “He recognized that humor was universal and, over the  years, the power of laughter hasn’t really changed much,” Kehler said. “That was his way of connecting with people. He was extremely friendly but also funny. He could definitely see the humor in things that others couldn’t.”
  Ropars worked to expose his students to comedy. By showing clips of various shows, Ropars allowed students to have a positive start to their day and see the evolution of comedy. 
  ​There were many times in his career when Ropars could have gotten frustrated but instead decided to laugh. “He would turn that frustration into sarcasm and humor,” said Taylor. “If there was any tension in the atmosphere, he had the power to change it completely.” 
  If Fine was ever having a bad day, she relied on Ropars’ sense of humor to cheer her up—and he delivered. One email from Ropars to Fine mentions a joke in which a woman receives a picture of one identical twin, named Juan, but not of the other twin, named Amal. The woman is disappointed to only receive Juan’s photo, but a friend assures her that “Once you’ve seen Juan, you’ve seen Amal.” Ropars cracks another joke and concludes the email with the claim, “All true stories.”
  ​It’s 5 p.m. Ropars has stayed late to talk to his students, long after everyone else has left. His hazelnut coffee has gone cold, but his smile has not dimmed. This memory, among many others, will forever remain in the hearts of the WHS community.
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