Darla Lawson
Mr Janinis, an Albany High School physical education teacher, and track and field and boys soccer coach has gone on paternity leave.
Junior Stella Dorman-Dimitrov, who had the chance to hear Mr. Janinis’s baby’s heart beat on video, says “He was excited that he was going to be off on paternity leave. He seemed really proud because he was hunting around for the video and showing us and narrating the video to us.”
Now Loring Barker has taken over the job of PE teacher until December, when Janinis plans to return, though it remains unclear who will replace him as coach for the upcoming season. Barker, a previous teacher at Albany, who worked for 35 years until his retirement in 2018 says, “I did coach softball for a lot of years, so I’ve always known the PE teachers here and kind of known what they do and have a little bit of that mindset.”
Graphic Design teacher, Jeff Castle, has been filling in, watching the weight room and open gym before school, previously Mr. Janinis’s job, so students can still have time to work out. Castle says he’s happy to be taking over the job and the morning workouts have a nice group of kids. He says, “you don’t have to feel self conscious when you’re in there, in the morning.”
With strong support from Albany High’s staff, students can rely on things moving forward smoothly until Mr. Janinis returns.
