Diane Schultz grew up in Buffalo, graduating from the Buffalo Seminary, and then studying at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where she earned degrees in English and Education. In the fall of 1968, she accepted a position at Hamburg Junior High, teaching English 7. Over the next 34 years, she worked with administrators, faculties and students who offered her many opportunities to learn the joys – and sometimes heartaches, of working with young people. She taught English 7 and 8, and spent many years in English 9, sharing the beauty of
Romeo and Juliet. The opportunity to read and study
To Kill a Mockingbird allowed students to meet unforgettable characters and reflect on their own values and beliefs. With her colleagues, she worked to develop a successful Writing and Reading Workshop program. In the fall of 1997, she had the privilege of moving to the high school with that year’s freshman class. She retired in 2002 after serving as a cooperating teacher to years of Fredonia’s student teachers, and as English Department Chairperson.
After retirement from Hamburg, Diane taught Education courses as an adjunct professor at Daemen College from 2002-2010. Again, she supervised student teachers, often on the elementary level, where she gained even more respect for what elementary teachers do every day. From 2005 – 2025, she has been the secretary of the East Aurora Educational Foundation, whose mission is to enhance the educational experience of East Aurora’s students by funding innovative grants presented by teachers.
Diane and her husband David, who had a long and distinguished career as an English teacher in East Aurora, raised two sons, Eric and Andy. Diane is the proud grandmother of six grandchildren, ranging in age from 7 to 17.
Diane is deeply grateful to Hamburg’s teachers and students for her teaching career.
