Lincoln Elementary School teacher Lynda Laatsch passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. Laatsch taught at HCCSC for 27 years in multiple buildings. In her honor, fifth grade students at Lincoln recently collaborated with accomplished singer and songwriter Steve Seskin to produce the song “More Than a Teacher to Me.”
The opportunity was extended by the Honeywell Center's Educational Outreach Program, giving Lincoln’s fifth grade students the ability to connect with Seskin, who works with children in various educational capacities.
“While the Lincoln Elementary School community still has a heavy heart as we continue to mourn the loss of Mrs. Laatsch, we are thankful that we had the opportunity to have her in our lives in the first place,” said Lincoln Elementary School Principal Brady McClure. “Lynda left a legacy at HCCSC and we feel this song is a great representation of her influence on people’s lives. It has helped students and staff through the grieving process.”
Seskin took time out of his schedule to work with the students to pay tribute to their beloved teacher. These virtual meetings were focused around the creation of a song that would tell the story of Laatsch’s impact on students. Students shared with Seskin what Laatsch meant to them as a teacher as well as fond memories and funny stories from their time with her. The lyrics to the song came directly from the fifth grade students. After a day of collaboration, Seskin helped the students take their thoughts and turn them into a beautiful melody to honor their teacher.
“This song essentially tells the story of all teachers at HCCSC as Lynda would have wanted it,” McClure said. “The love that a teacher has for his/her students is something that cannot be measured. A teacher’s mission is to serve children, and Lynda always took this mission to heart. Even though Lynda is no longer with us in person, her spirit will be carried on by the teachers at HCCSC who will continue to carry on the good work that she modeled for nearly three decades.”
The song, shared in a video format, can be found below.