English Department head Dr. Lynn Knowles, who has been an institution at the school since it opened in 1999, will be retiring at the end of this school year. And, in true Knowles fashion, she will go all out and retire to Spain.

After almost 17 years of teaching students the complex themes within To Kill A Mockingbird and Greek dramas, Knowles and her husband will be retiring to Alicante, a beautiful and charming port city on Spain’s southeastern Costa Blanca.

“My husband and I decided early on that we would retire as soon as we could and do something just for us,” Knowles said. “Our personal children are on their own now, so the time is right.”

While Alicante is inarguably a lovely place for retirement, it’s rather far removed from not only the familiar sprawling American cities, but also the English language, lifestyle, and traditions.

“¿Por qué no? We both love the culture and can manage the language,” Knowles said. “We want to be in Europe for a few years. We may stay there for a while, or we may move on or back.”

With her PhD in hand, Knowles is fully prepared to move on from Flower Mound to the warm Spanish beaches. She may, however, be spending more time in new classrooms than in the sun.

“Getting my PhD opened up some new employment options when I retire,” Knowles said. “That’s just a bonus, but you never know when I’ll get bored.”

But even with all of the new options she will have available to keep busy and entertained, Knowles will miss the classroom she’s called home for the past 17 years.

“I’ll miss the students, definitely,” Knowles said. “I’ll miss my colleagues. I’ll miss the every-day-is-different that happens in a high school this size. I’ve been here since FMHS opened, and it has become my family. My colleagues had my son in class, and I’ve had their personal children in class. I love that sense of community.”

Even though there are many things that she will miss about teaching, she still has her favorites.

“I’ve always loved watching my students grow as writers,” Knowles said. “I love teaching the Humanities classes, and I really enjoyed my dabble back in journalism a few years ago.”

With 17 years spent as a Jaguar, Knowles has acquired an impressive number of former students who love her, and although they may not remember everything they learned, they will remember her loud, gregarious, and lovable nature.

“I hope that somewhere down the line my students think back on something they learned in class and be grateful for it,” Knowles said. “It’s hard, because teachers never know for sure when they’re making a difference.”

Some teachers may have to go the rest of their lives without knowing if they made a difference in a student’s life, but Knowles won’t have that problem. She has helped generations of students find their paths to the future, whether they know it or not.