Drew Watson

After 33 years of teaching at ETHS, Jed Curtis is retiring. A math teacher during the entirety of his ETHS career, Curtis was also a 1985 graduate of the high school. 

During his tenure at the school, he also served as a coach for many of the athletic programs, ranging from tennis to lacrosse. Most notably, Curtis was an assistant varsity football coach for 12 years, and the head boys golf coach for 16 years.

As a key member of many sports teams, Curtis appreciated the opportunity to see athletes develop in their sports and in life.

“With athletics, I’ve loved seeing young men grow into grown men and develop responsibility and work ethic,” said Curtis. “It’s great to see kids going out and being successful in careers and families and whatever else they might pursue.”

One of Curtis’ successes in his golf coaching career was bringing the team to state in 2013, for the first time in 51 years and only the second time in program history.

On the academic side, he has enjoyed similar aspects related to the developmental nature of the job.

“I’ve really enjoyed taking students that maybe weren’t super confident in math and pushing them to really have some math skills and feel good about their abilities,” he said.

Coming from Evanston and a family that was full of educators, Curtis felt especially drawn to teaching at ETHS.

“I’ve traveled quite a bit, and I feel like Evanston is a special, special place. I think it’s a place where a lot of kids just feel very comfortable coming back and being a part of the community,” he said.

He believes that the high school prepares students well for post-graduation plans, and exists in a culturally rich and academically challenging environment.

Moving into retirement, Curtis is looking forward to spending more time with family, including his two young children, and traveling. Also, the additional time will allow him to explore his literary interests in greater depth.

He will continue to coach boys golf, and will participate in community-centered activities, even potentially continuing to teach at the high school on a volunteer basis. Those activities will allow him to continue to experience the love and energy that comes from being around students and athletes in Evanston. 

“What I’ll miss most is the kids and people that are in this building; there’s a lot of love in this place,” said Curtis. “Just being around that dynamic energy is special.”