On June 15, 2023, we celebrated the retirement of two long-serving staff members, Mr. Mark Smith and Ms. Nula Sheridan, with an appreciation breakfast with colleagues on campus. Both Mark and Nula have contributed tremendously to the school with 55 years of service combined.

Mark grew up in London and moved to Spain in the early 1980s, joining ASB in 1984 with then-Director Mike Schimmel. 2023 marks his 39th year on staff - a career spanning almost four decades across three campuses. He has taught computer classes and all the sciences at ASB, but most recently, he has been our HS IB Chemistry teacher. His children, Mark '16 and Queralt '18, also graduated from ASB. In his retirement, Mark is looking forward to spending more time at his home near Tarragona and learning to sail, fish, and have more time to travel. 

Many visiting alums often request to see Mr. Smith on their campus visits, and he always has a story to tell from their time at school - a recollection that sparks memories that are warmly embraced and will be missed.

Irish-born Nula met her Catalan husband in Dublin and moved to Spain in 1980. She joined ASB as a PK4 teaching assistant in 2005 with then-Director Lee Fertig after many years of involvement in the school community, where she worked until around five years ago when she transitioned to an ECC support staff role. Her daughter, Maggie '98, also graduated from the school. In her retirement, she looks forward to spending more time with friends, reading, walking, and visiting Ireland more often with Maggie.

We wish Mark and Nula all the best and thank them for their dedication and service to ASB.

Watch an Instagram reel from their retirement party HERE!