For the past 36 years, Greg Stoehr has done it all inside and outside of the classroom: he’s taught AP Environmental Science and Biology Honors, advised numerous clubs, and even coached rugby. As Stoehr steps into his retirement, he leaves his mark at Los Altos High School as a beloved teacher to all.
Stoehr’s teaching journey was inspired by his mother, who taught high school English. Her early influence opened up his teaching career; by the time he attended the University of California, Berkeley to study biology with an environmental focus, he was already teaching students at a local elementary school.
“For me, it’s very natural to teach,” Stoehr said. “I never get stressed out, and I’ve never had a bad day teaching.”
Within the classroom, Stoehr taught various science subjects, including biology, earth science, and environmental science. At LAHS, Stoehr has connected closely with students and his co-workers, including fellow science teacher and carpool buddy Jacob Russo.
“Sometimes I’ll just sit in his class because I just love observing how he teaches,” Russo said. “Our talks on the drive home from work are rich conversations about biology and teaching strategies.”
Beyond the classroom
In 2018, Stoehr participated in and won the final round of the Giants of Science Bay Area competition, hosted by the San Francisco Giants. Stoehr received a check for $20,000 for his research on bioprospecting and how organisms develop new chemicals. Stoehr donated his funds to LAHS to teach STEM students how medicine can treat diseases.
“The thing I love the most is having students ask questions that I’m not sure how to answer,” Stoehr said. “And then, of course, I pursue the answer. That’s always like a big thing for me, as opposed to the redundancy of just teaching what I already know.”
Running the game
Besides pursuing academics at Berkeley, Stoehr found a love for rugby, a sport he would dominate on the national stage for the next 30 years. When he started, rugby wasn’t yet considered a professional sport. However, as upperclassmen, Stoehr and the Cal Bears won back-to-back national championships and were featured in Sports Illustrated magazine.
Once rugby gained popularity in the States, Stoehr was recruited to play for the U.S. national team and traveled to New Zealand to compete overseas. When he retired at age 30, Stoehr hoped to continue coaching his own team, leading him to create and coach the LAHS club rugby team for 16 years.
“Having that relationship with students is different from the classroom because it’s a completely separate environment,” Stoehr said. “You’re with them for a couple more hours each day for three months, but it’s way more casual.”
Dress-up days
Stoehr likes to incorporate a more engaging learning environment by dressing the part. Seniors Haylie Brzozowski and Dylan Kovarcik looked back on their time with Stoehr during Biology Honors as freshmen and appreciated his dedication to making class more fun.
“A core memory was when he came to school dressed as a frog for Halloween, which I thought was cool since we were learning about frogs that week,” Haylie said. “I just thought it was very funny, especially since none of my other teachers dressed up that year.”
“I loved his Charles Darwin dress-up days,” Dylan said. “He brings a lot of passion to his classes, and you can tell he really cares about biology. He’ll always break things down for you if you don’t understand it.”
Looking ahead, Stoehr plans to spend his retirement time with family, travel, and enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean.
Still, he emphasizes the supportive environment LAHS built for him.
“Every time I do something for the last time, I get a little chilled with nostalgia,” Stoehr said. “There’s so much love and respect between the kids and teachers at this school, and it’s just people working hard who want to learn.”
