"Cape Proud" of Home Grown RES Teacher Richard Lantz

Rehoboth Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year, Coach Richard Lantz graduated from Cape Henlopen High School in 2001, but he never truly left the Cape Henlopen School District.

In fact, he has come full circle.  Coach Lantz, attended Rehoboth Elementary School through his elementary school years.  Several of his current peers taught the young Lantz.  Janine Lewis (a current 2^nd grade teacher at RES) was Coach’s 1^st grade teacher while Sarah Ross (a current 5^th grade social studies teacher at RES) was his fourth grade teacher, and Walter Hetfield (the current music teacher at RES) was his music teacher.  In addition, Shelley Maull, a current 3^rd grade teacher did not teach Richard but was teaching there while he attended elementary school.

After elementary school, coach Lantz proceeded to Lewes Middle School and then Cape Henlopen High School where he began to develop his love of physical education.  He played lacrosse under Coach Mark and football under current high school principal Brian Donahue.

While in high school, he fondly recalls his phys-ed teacher Mr. Cordrey, for whom he became a teacher’s aide in his senior year.   Coach Lantz was thrilled to have phys-ed in the morning and then assist the younger classes in the afternoon.

He also loved Dave Frederick’s psychology class where he remembers feeling  comfortable and learning in a very positive environment.

After graduation in 2001, Coach Lantz headed to Wesley College to obtain his degree in physical education.  While there, he played defensive back on the football team for four years.

He took a break from college and became a para-educator at Rehoboth Elementary School in 2007.  Ultimately, he finished his degree in 2009 after he student taught under two of his former teachers, Mr. Leye at Rehoboth Elementary School, and Mr. Morris at Beacon Middle School.

Upon graduation, he immediately resumed his position as a para-educator until Mr. Leye retired in 2010.

Coach Lantz officially launched his teaching career in the fall of 2011 as the physical education teacher at Rehoboth Elementary School.  He is thrilled to be teaching at his alma mater and loves teaching the K-5 students.

According to Coach, “watching young kids mature and see their skill sets develop over the years is extremely rewarding.  “When they come to me, I am teaching skipping and hopping, and when they leave, the kids are doing lay-ups and shooting hoops”.

Coach Lantz is thrilled to have his young family reside in the same neighborhood in which he grew up.  He says it was not the plan, but the perfect house presented itself and he and his wife quickly settled in.

Coach Lantz is married to Milton Elementary School teacher Amanda Lantz and the young couple has a future Cape student, two-year-old, Gus.

Coach Lantz’s career as a physical education teacher is just beginning at the Cape  District and he his loved by all of his students.

In fact, it was my twin 3^rd grade daughters who recently reminded me that “Coach graduated from Cape and you need to do your blog on him!”

Thanks to these little ladies, we have discovered Coach Richard Lantz and his career and dedication makes all of us “Cape Proud”.

Please visit our Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation (CHEF) website at www.chef-cape.org to learn more about CHEF’s educational partnership with the Cape school district.  We invite the entire community to help us achieve our mission of preparing students for a healthy, productive life in a diverse global community.