Naperville Central science teacher Katherine Seguino is retiring at the end of Central’s first semester. 

At Central, Seguino has taught Chemistry, Physics, and AP Physics 1. She’s been a teacher for 33 years, of which she has spent 17 at Central. 

Seguino was also Central’s science department chair until the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

Seguino has always worked in the education field. It all started in college, where she was studying math and physics in order to get an engineering degree. 

“A couple of my professors were noticing that I was helping other students a lot, tutoring them, et cetera,” Seguino said. “And so my professors suggested that I should try becoming a teacher.” 

One of the things that drove Seguino to start working in education was the opportunity to interact with all kinds of people. Seguino said that every student has their own unique story and that she enjoys getting to know more about them. 

“Mrs. Seguino goes above and beyond for her students,” senior Aqsa Fathima said. “The classroom always felt like an incredibly safe space because of how understanding and kind she is. Mrs. Seguino is very attentive; she’s one of those teachers who always notices if you are in a bad mood and would always try to help you as much as possible.”

Although Seguino also taught chemistry and studied math extensively, she said physics is still her favorite.

“I like math but I needed a reason to solve for it,” Seguino said “And physics gave me a reason to do that. It’s fundamental and hands-on. In health sciences like biology, you can observe things but you don’t get to interact with them as much as in physics. Physics is the fundamental part of all the sciences.”

Because of changes within her family, retiring felt like the right decision, Seguino said. 

Seguino said she doesn’t plan on leaving the education field for good; she is rather “taking a break” to focus on the other important things. 

“I am finishing my dissertation so hopefully I’ll get my PhD within the next six months,” Seguino said. “And then, I might be teaching at a college or a private school. I can’t imagine for one minute not to have a job. I’ve worked since I was 12. I like to be around people, and I like staying busy.”