Deborah Drommerhausen has been teaching at the high school for over 50 years. She has seen and been through it all. The schedule shifts, the different phone policies, changes around the building and much more. She is one of the most beloved teachers in the school, with her personal finance and marketing classes being favored by students.

Senior Tate Peterman explained that his first impression of Ms. D was unforgettable. “She is the nicest human ever,” he said. “What stood out most wasn’t a homework assignment but her life advice: ‘Don’t drive too fast and stay off your phone,'” he said.

Peterman says Ms D’s teaching style emphasized people over papers. “It taught me how to make relationships with people. Relationships are the most important thing to be successful in business or finance.” When asked about her long career, Drommerhausen said I got 10% off my student loans, and I had no money, and I thought 10% sounded good, so I thought I’d go into teaching — true story,” she said.

Senior Brendan Remley reflected on his experiences with Drommerhausen, who has taught at Stillwater for more than 50 years. “She’s super friendly and helpful,” he recalls their first class together during his sophomore year.
“She’s not just a teacher. She’s also a friend,” Remley said. “She likes to make sure you get everything that you need to get done, and she cares about you more than just a teacher,” he said.

Over the decades, she said she has seen schedules and curriculum change, but believes students remain the same.

“They’re still wonderful. They want to be successful. They want to graduate, move on to bigger, better things,” she said. Drommerhausen said teaching has shaped her to appreciate differences and reminded her never to assume what someone is going through. “For new teachers, just have fun with the students. Let them know you care. Listen, and don’t always judge them she said.

Her proudest moments come not from awards but from connections with students both in and out of class. “Meeting everybody, students I have in class, students I don’t have in class, you know, meeting them out downtown or at Burgers or wherever — it’s fun to know that we do have fun here at Stillwater Area High School,” she said.

From Ms. D’s heartfelt reminders to her decades of guidance, she has left an imprint far beyond just academics. Her students describe her as as an instructor and a caring mentor. She is proof that kindness is the longest-lasting lesson of all.