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With her energy waning and retirement looming, Berwyn Heights Elementary School math resource teacher Carole Swisdak decided she wanted one final year instructing a class — and she ended up having two in one.

This past school year, Swisdak, 64, served as the only second and third grade combination teacher in the school, instructing a combination of 24 students from both grades.

Swisdak said Principal Karen Singer asked her to teach the combined class, a first for the school, since there were not enough students to have two separate classes.

School system spokeswoman Lynn McCawley said she did not have any hard data on the number of teachers instructing combined classes.

Though Swisdak was able to teach social studies, science and health together, it was a juggling act to get the needed math and reading assignments to the students, she said.

"At the time I had not been in a classroom for the past 10 to 12 years and it was a real eye-opener," Swisdak said.

Swisdak began teaching in 1967 and has taught at Woodley Knolls Elementary in Suitland, Adelphi Elementary in Adelphi, District Heights Elementary, Glenridge Elementary in Landover Hills, Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary in Cheverly and Berwyn Heights Elementary. Between 1973 and 1983, Swisdak left teaching to raise her two children. She's taught second through fifth grades, but said third was her favorite.

Swisdak began at Berwyn Heights Elementary School when it re-opened in 2002. From 1981 to 2002, the school was closed and the building was used as the headquarters for the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute.

"I saw a desire and passion for teaching in her that she showed us for seven years," Singer said. "She just had an uncanny knack for knowing how things should be."

Swisdak said she really liked the staff, children and community.

"It's just a comfortable atmosphere. It can be stressful at times, but you get that at every school," Swisdak said.

Swisdak plans to spend more time with her husband, Michael, their children, Marc, 35, and Stephen, 34, but teaching might not be fully out of her system as she is considering being a substitute teacher in the future.

"I'm going to miss the staff and students definitely. I will just miss teaching really," Swisdak said. "But I won't miss all the paperwork or the extra duties. It was just time for me to go."

E-mail Jordan Attebury at jattebury@gazette.net.