On Feb. 1, a big change and large void began at Yorktown High School when longtime employee Cheryl Stotler officially retired.
She stepped down after working 29 years at the Arlington school in dual roles as an administrator and administrative assistant in the athletic office.
Stotler’s responsibilities were vast, from scheduling, game and event management, Website upkeep and messaging, running district athletic tournaments, calender updating and coordinating senior activities that included various aspects of graduation.
“It is a very special ceremony, and it’s heartwarming to see the students who I’ve watched grow into young adults over four years’ time walk across the stage,” Stotler said about the graduations.
Over her near three decades at Yorktown, her tasks became more challenging as the school’s enrollment increased by about 1,000 students, with the size of the graduating class doubling from 330 to 600.
Stotler worked under four principals and three athletic directors, hired in 1995 by Nancy Martino.
Stotler said she enjoyed it all.
“What do they say – time flies when you are having fun,” Stotler said. “Yorktown was a great place to be. Right now it still feels like I’m on an extended vacation, or like every day is a Saturday.”
As she works out her retirement schedules and routines, which includes a regular exercise routine four days a week and traveling, Stotler does plan to return to Yorktown in a part-time capacity of game manager responsibilities for contests this spring. She might work Yorktown home football games this coming fall.
Retirement also means Stotler will have time to spend time with her first grandchild, expected to be born this month.
After graduating from Virginia Tech and prior to working at Yorktown, Stotler worked for a local fitness company. A physical-education teacher at Yorktown told her about an opening at the school for an administrative assistant. She applied and was hired.
“That job was right up my alley and what I wanted,” Stotler said.
As Stotler worked at the school, her two sons each were year-round four-sport athletes (rifle team) for the Patriots.
Her tenure included watching the overall success of the Yorktown girls athletic program boom.
“Each year they become more competitive and successful,” Stotler said. “I believe the entire program’s success is a tribute to the support and outstanding leadership from the principal, director of student activities, coaches and parents. I am deeply proud to be a part of this legacy.”
