After long time Culinary teacher Sandra Lawson retired last year Baldwin High School hired Paul Musselman to take over her classes.

Musselman had met Lawson prior to her retirement which played a part in him coming to BHS.

“I had met Mrs. Lawson a few years ago at a conference when I was student teaching,” Musselman said. “She was talking to me and new she wasn’t ready for retirement then but she knew it would be coming in a few years. She contacted me last Feb. and told me she was retiring at the end of the school year and thought I would be a good candidate for the job so I came down and went through the interview process and got the job.”

Musselman thought that BHS would be a better fit for him than his previous job.

“I was teaching at Witchita East which is one of the biggest high schools in the state and I wanted a change from that and Baldwin offered that.”

There are other differences that Musselman is adjusting to beside the size of BHS.

“I taught classes like this in Witchita but I never did a culinary team,” Musselman said. “But there are enough kids interested in it here that I plan on keeping it an option. It will be a new experience for me.”

Musselman and his family have had time to adjust to the Baldwin community and Musselman got the opportunity to meet some BHS students prior to school starting.

“We got here at the beginning of the summer,” Musselman said. “I got to know some of the kids through summer weights and through football activities since I am coaching this fall. I will also coach basketball which will allow me to meet some more kids. So far the move to Baldwin has been very positive. Any time you pick up and move it is a leap of faith but there were enough positive aspects here that we thought it would be worth it and it has been.”

Musselman’s students are also glad he got the job at BHS.

“He’s a really cool guy,” senior Caleb Gaylord said. “I think he’s a great fit for BHS.”