Another era is coming to an end at Green Middle School. Frank Yoskey, CBI teacher and athletic director, is retiring after 35 years of teaching and coaching.

"It has been an interesting career," Yoskey commented. "I have worked under eight superintendents and four principals during my teaching career."

After earning a teaching degree in art from The University of Akron, Yoskey was hired in the summer of 1973.

Former student Kerry Welch Diver remembers him well. "We all thought he was so cool, he was so young and hip. He was a great art teacher!"

After 19 years in art, Yoskey decided to switch fields. He obtained another degree through The Ohio State University and began teaching the OWA program, which evolved into the current CBI course. These are programs allowing students in the middle school to go to classes in the morning and work part time as part of the course work.

Even though he was no longer teaching art, he still helped out with various art projects. He also became the Audio Visual Coordinator. In this role, he used his creative talents to enhance the school's in-house TV programs.

Yoskey also introduced his good friend, "Bob the Bowler", to the middle school. There was some speculation that he and Bob were the same person but this was laid to rest when both appeared side-by-side during morning announcements.

"Bob became a well known personality around the school," he added. "He took part in our annual OSU-Michigan festivities, was a major part of Spirit and Ground Hog Week, and went on numerous class field trips to Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.”

"The spring prior to 9/11 he even climbed the White House fence for a picture," Yoskey said.  “It was not one of his brighter moves."

Besides Bob, Yoskey introduced a lot of his other friends to the GMS students. The students were amazed by the diversity of the various characters he knew.

Besides these activities Yoskey was also involved in a lot of other activities. He was involved with the RISK program that helped break up student clics in school.  He coached football, boys and girls basketball, and track at the middle school, and soccer at the high school. He also went on the various class field trips, was the main disc jockey at school dances, supervised student council, helped with ice skating activities, ran the art club, and served as a building representative for the teachers union. He also found time to upgrade his teaching credentials with additional course work and degrees from Walsh and Ashland colleges.

"I tried to make things fun for the kids," Yoskey said. "I wanted them to remember their years at the middle school as being good ones."

He and his wife, Diane, have three children, twins Tiffany and Frank, and daughter Debbie. They are having a house built down in the Carribbean country of Belize as a winter get- away.

Brian Reed, GMS principal, had said of Yoskey. "Frank added a touch of humor and fun that needs to be in every middle school. He genuinely has the middle school student at heart in the work he does each and every day, whether it be in the classroom,on the track, or being our resident DJ. I have personally benefited from his experience in my first few years as principal."

Co-worker Kay Becker observed, " I will miss him, all his friends and things like Spirit Week and Groundhog Day. He always made me smile. He was just great to work with!"
An anonymous teacher said. "Frank is what teaching is all about. He is one of the best teachers I have ever worked with. His dedication and work effort were outstanding."

GMS won't be the same without this very remarkable man and all his friends.