Remembering Jean Kuczka, The Teacher That Lost Her Life Protecting Her Students

Chip Chick |

Nov 20, 2022

The recent news of the shooting at the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis is absolutely devastating.

For those who may not know, on Monday, October 24th, a 19-year-old gunman and former student of the school entered the building and began firing gunshots.

During the shooting, 7 people were injured, and two were killed. One of those two people was 61-year-old health teacher Jean Kuczka.

“I cannot imagine myself in any other career but teaching,” wrote Jean in her biography on the high school’s website. “I love teaching Health and Physical Education and guiding students to make wise decisions.”

Jean had been teaching at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School for 14 years and taught physical education at a few schools prior.

Before becoming a teacher, she attended Lindbergh High School and fell in love with playing field hockey.

She carried that passion with her to Missouri State, where she received a field hockey scholarship and made it onto their 1979 National Championship team.

Jean was married to her husband Steve, was a mother to five children, and a grandmother to seven grandchildren. Besides her sweet family, Jean was extremely loved by members of her community.

Obituary photo; pictured above is Jean

“Jean Kuczka was an amazing educator,” tweeted Glenn Barnes, a former teacher at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School.

“She loved her students and helped them make a difference in the school and community. This is a huge loss. I always loved seeing her at the school.”

“I had the pleasure & honor of being Ms. Kuczka’s student for 3 separate classes, and I absolutely loved her,” commented one of Jean’s students on her obituary wall.

“I am better because I knew her and the world was a much better place when she was apart of it.”

Not only was she an outstanding educator, but she was also a hero. Not long after the shooting had ended, Jean’s daughter Abigail received word that she protected her students during the terrible event. Reports say that when the gunman entered Jean’s room, she stood in front of him in to save her students.

“My mom loved kids,” Abigail told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “She loved her students. I know her students looked at her like she was their mom.”

We are sending our sincerest condolences to all of those who knew Jean and are suffering from this awful tragedy. To read more about Jean’s life, visit the link here.

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