From physics to cosmology, philosophy to vegetarian cooking, Upper School Science teacher Craig Fletcher has a wide range of interests, which he’s shared with the Poly community for the past 46 years.

Throughout his impressive tenure at Poly, Fletcher has taught both AP and Honors Physics, putting his own spin on the curricula to make his lessons entertaining and memorable. Each school year, Fletcher prioritizes creating moments of amusement for his students, such as his long-standing tradition of becoming the “wabbit” once a year.

Fletcher said, “Every year I put rabbit ears and a rabbit tail on, and I hop up onto the table to talk to them about two-dimensional kinematics.” Upper School Science teacher Rachel Dunham verified that he has upheld this tradition at least since she was a student in his class in 2001.

Fletcher’s impact on his students is so potent that alumni from decades ago still have stories to share from his classroom. “It is no exaggeration to say that there is no Poly class that I recall in more vivid detail than Fletcher’s. His creative demonstrations were like the acts of a magic show — always entertaining and somewhat mystifying,” said alumna Jean Rhim ‘85.

In addition to physics, Fletcher has created and taught several elective classes across the curriculum, including Eastern Philosophy and Vegetarian Cooking. He also created a Cosmology, Astronomy and Relativity class, designed to be a fun senior course that would share the more chaotic side of physics and make his students question the workings of the world.

Recalling when he was hired by Poly, Fletcher said, “I got the job, and then after about two weeks, I realized that I’d kind of fallen into teacher heaven. The kids were so nice, and they were so motivated.”

For decades, Fletcher has impacted students at Poly not only through his classes but also through the programs he has led and participated in outside of the classroom. Last year, he served as both an advisor and lead chaperone on Poly’s solar car project, helping a group of nine students build and eventually race a solar-powered car over the course of a year and a half. He has also been a source of fun in the community. As a show of appreciation, the senior class all dressed up as Fletcher during this year’s Rivalry Week. The seniors donned his signature plaid shirt, baseball cap and sandals.

As he enters retirement, Fletcher hopes his students will look back on their time with him as fondly as he does. “I’d like to think that the students found me pleasantly eccentric,” he said.

While he won’t be teaching physics anymore, Fletcher will most likely continue the Cosmology, Astronomy and Relativity elective in next school year’s curriculum. Fletcher shared, “I’ve enjoyed my time here, and I’m happy that I’m not leaving completely.”