Almost a quarter of a century ago, Ms. Susan Becker walked into her office at Glen Rock High School for the first time.

Becker has been the nurse at Glen Rock High School for the past 23 years, taking care of whatever student who needs medical attention, whether it be a call to home or just a Band-Aid. However, Becker has decided that the 2015-2016 school year will be her last in the district before retiring.There were many factors that led to Becker’s decision to retire, however she says that her family is the main reason.

“I have grandchildren, and my family lives in Virginia,” Becker said. “I wanted to retire and spend time with them.”

Becker began her career as nurse 45 years ago, spending a lot of time in emergency room nursing. She also worked in family planning, as well as for an OBGYN office and a clinic. After her several adventures in these departments, she came to Glen Rock, where she has continued to work for almost a quarter century.

While at Glen Rock, she met Nerney, and their friendship continued to grow for the next fourteen years.

“We’re as close as sisters,” Nerney said. “I spend more time with her than I do with my own family. We’re very close. It’s going to be a big loss for me and for the school.”

The two have shared countless memories together from the time they met, both inside and outside of their office. Becker has even shared some of her proudest moments with her coworker

“We went to one of the Glen Rock football games together when they played at Metlife Stadium,” Nerney said. “Some of the celebrations that we’ve gone through together; her kids having babies, marriages, just working with the kids with her.

When Becker first began as a nurse at Glen Rock, she was the nurse for the junior-senior high school, which included only 7-12 grade students. When the school changed to a Middle School/ High School, Becker began to notice her office becoming a lot busier.

“The needs of the students has greatly increased,” Becker said. “So it’s very busy, and there are a lot more student needs. It’s changed quite a bit.”

What many students do not know about Becker is her experience in Glen Rock’s Athletic Department. For quite some time, she was the head cheerleading coach. In the early 2000s, she brought back cheerleading for Glen Rock’s basketball program. Today, the cheerleaders are still able to show their skills and spirit at basketball games, thanks to the efforts made over a decade ago by Susan Becker.

For the past 23 years, Glen Rock students have been taken care of by a nurse  that Nerney describes as “Smart, conscientious, and dedicated.” As Susan Becker looks ahead to other adventures in her life, whether it be spending more time with her family, or expanding her practice in holistic nursing, she will be looking back at her many years at Glen Rock High School, where she not only affected the lives of the students, but of the many friends that she has made.

“I will miss her tremendously,” Nerney said. “I think the district will really miss her. She will be tough to replace”