Trina Keller Retires After 13 Years at Perpich

Trina Keller

August 14, 2020

Trina Keller, French Instructor, is retiring from Perpich after 13 years. Her last day at Perpich will be Friday, August 14th.

When asked to reflect on her time at Perpich, Trina offered this: “Fred Rogers said this about successful people: ‘They just love what they’re doing, and they love it in front of others.’ People (teachers, students, and staff) at Perpich reflect that and create a wonderful environment in which to work. Having spent fifty years as a classroom teacher, I feel very fortunate to have spent these past thirteen years teaching French at Perpich.

My career started in the Richfield Public Schools where I taught French at all levels: high school, middle school, elementary. I then moved on to Gustavus Adolphus College, teaching language methods courses and providing student teacher supervision. French language instruction at St. Thomas University came next and finally, I arrived at Perpich!

Although I have taught all ages and levels, high school students are, and have always been, my favorite students to teach. Their creativity, unpredictability, independence, energy, and curiosity continue to inspire and challenge me. I love French and French culture and Perpich, with its art focus, offered the perfect opportunity to encourage the use of the French language as a tool to make connections with the arts.

Accompanying groups of students to France over the years and hosting French exchange students at Perpich have been real highlights of my years here. These experiences offer students an invaluable opportunity to use language to learn about other cultures and themselves. Although a very small school, the Perpich French program provided advanced level courses for University of Minnesota credit. I am very proud of the students who successfully completed those classes.

Teaching is difficult work and has been a lifelong adventure of challenges and opportunities. I am not sure what my next ‘adventure’ will be in these uncertain times. I am dedicated to French and will continue to read, to study, and to support language learning. My husband and I love to travel and are planning a long trip to France (without students) when it is safe to travel again. Our two daughters are both teachers, one of whom teaches French, so it is fun to collaborate and share ideas. Our grandkids are all studying French…as if they had a choice!

I am very grateful for my consistently supportive Perpich colleagues. To teach with people who are so insightful, creative, and capable has been wonderful these past thirteen years. Perpich is a special and unique place and I hope it continues to educate students for many years to come.”

We thank Trina for her years of service and wish her the best of luck in this next adventure.