Wendy Jerome, South science teacher, recently lost her beloved class pet duck, Anchovy. Anchovy passed away on Nov. 4, but her energetic presence in the classroom and the impact she made on students will not be forgotten.
Bringing Anchovy to school each day became a non-negotiable for Wendy Jerome’s daily routine. Her daughter, Jenny Jerome ’27, was also part of the constant effort that made the duck a special part of the school day.
“It was so worth the hassle of bringing her to school every day because everyone loved her, so it’s just what we did,” Jenny Jerome said.
Anchovy brought unconventional joy to the classroom, making her much different than the average class pet. For Rhys Howell ’28, Anchovy made science class something to look forward to, and her absence will create a void in the classroom.
“The thing that I will miss the most about Anchovy is her randomly flying around the classroom, and her daily quacks that make it sound like she’s laughing with us,” Howell said.
Anchovy’s impact also reached beyond the classroom, something Wendy Jerome began to notice as she spoke with families throughout the semester. She realized then just how much Anchovy had become part of her students’ everyday lives.
“After talking with parents at conferences, I found out that kids were coming home talking about Anchovy and giving a daily report… maybe they weren’t sharing other things, but they were sharing about Anchovy,” Wendy Jerome said.
The loss of Anchovy has created an absence in the classroom that Wendy Jerome and students are still getting used to; however, the time they had with her will remain a part of their school year.
“I asked the students if they had pictures or videos to share, and they’ve been posting all of those memories,” Wendy Jerome said. “We print the pictures of her and made a poster of her to hang in the classroom.”
