Joe Anastasia is an AP Chemistry teacher at Fossil Ridge High School. Anastasia has been teaching for 26 years and has been a part of the Fossil family since the school opened in 2004; this will be his last year at Fossil.

Anastasia loves the outdoors and has a passion for nature. Anastasia grew up in the Boston area and spent his time doing all different kinds of activities. Anastasia was an alpine ski racer, played baseball, and did commercial fishing.

Anastasia has been married for 33 years and has been absolutely in love since the day they met. His wife has a PHD and is an Executive Vice President of a multinational company. Anastasia has two biological children and one adopted child. His children now have kids of their own and Anastasia absolutely loves them. “My grandkids are the light of my life,” Anastasia stated.

Anastasia started off substitute teaching for different math classes as a graduate student, and instantly fell in love with teaching. Anastasia loves his students, “I love interacting and learning from them. I will miss the students the most when I retire.” Anastasia’s biggest struggle was dealing with student apathy. Even though he had his struggles, he has an amazing passion for teaching chemistry and it shows in the way he teaches. His passion for teaching has inspired so many students, and has been such an amazing part of Fossil.

Outside of teaching, Anastasia is an avid mountain biker and cross country skier. He also takes his dog, Turbo, everywhere he goes. Turbo has helped out a lot in the classroom as well. Turbo is one of the service dogs at Fossil and enjoys interacting with the students almost as much as Anastasia does.

After retirement, Anastasia plans on spending more time with his kids and grandchildren along with doing lots of woodworking, skiing, and biking—of course with Turbo. Anastasia even wants to invent new things; there is no limit for this amazing teacher.

Anastasia is a huge lover of life and it really shows— not only through his passion for teaching, but his real life examples in the midst of his lectures. Anastasia has inspired a lot of young minds and has expressed his love of life through his teaching; a very rare quality that sets him apart from a lot of teachers at Fossil. Anastasia will be so missed after this year, but he will still go on to do amazing things.