After 29 years of teaching at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, Social Studies Teacher Fred Schneider is retiring with a legacy defined by gratitude, humor, and a deep appreciation for the students and mission that shaped his career.

When reflecting on his years at Ursuline, Mr. Schneider says it is impossible to choose just one meaningful memory. What stands out most are the students themselves - their enthusiasm for learning, perseverance, and remarkable accomplishments.

“I cannot count the number of times I have felt that these students are light-years beyond where I was as a high school student,” he shared, recalling everything from inspiring Valedictory speeches to the determination of his early Mock Trial teams.

For Mr. Schneider, being part of a community rooted in Serviam means embracing values that go far beyond words on a wall. He believes Ursuline’s mission, grounded in the teachings of St. Angela Merici, is woven into the daily life of the school and reflected in the relationships students build with one another.

“The ‘Sisterhood’ idea is real here,” Mr. Schneider said. “The vast majority of my seniors agree that their experiences with fellow students have reflected the amazing support and caring our students show for each other.”

He says some of the most powerful moments each year came through students’ senior service experiences, especially on their final day of service, when saying goodbye to the people they served became emotional.

“My students’ emotional response to this shows that the experience is a meaningful one,” he said.

For nearly three decades in the classroom, Mr. Schneider says his students have continually taught him to approach life with curiosity and wonder. One story that still makes him smile dates back to the opening of the French Family Center in 2011. After sneaking his classes in for an early look, one student initially told him, “Mr. Schneider, that is not Ursuline,” because the new building felt so different from Main Hall. Within weeks, students had fully embraced it as part of the school community.

“That experience reminded me that Ursuline is not a building,” Mr. Schneider reflected. “It is the students.”

As he steps into retirement, Mr. Schneider hopes his legacy will be one of encouragement. "I hope that my legacy here will be that I played some small role in 'cultivating the vine(s) that have been entrusted to me,' by the parents and the Ursuline Sisters. I hope that I have helped the students to understand that they can do anything that they set their minds to, and that I added a bit of humor along the way."  

“The truth is,” he said, paraphrasing St. Angela Merici, “I have learned more from them than they have learned from me.”

When asked to describe his Ursuline experience in one word, Mr. Schneider answered without hesitation: gratitude.

“Gratitude,” he said, “for being able to teach the best high school students in the world.”