“[While] I had to do student teaching in my college experience, this is my first real teaching job. Growing up, I didn’t really know that I wanted to be a teacher, but I always knew that I wanted to help people, and I had some great English teachers, [so I found this] the best profession [for me]. My first day, also my birthday, was a whirlwind. There was too much going on. The 9th graders weren’t behaving, and the 11th graders, who have been here for two years, knew more than I did. But we got to a point where I know what I’m doing, and now I’m here to make sure that all my students are comfortable and are able to breathe and center themselves, which is something I should have done on my first day.”

“When the biology position opened at Rock Ridge, I was excited. I love science, with me having two master’s degrees and two undergraduate degrees. I love the fact that we have a lot of bright and talented students and staff here at Rock Ridge. [But don’t get me wrong,] while this is my fifth year teaching, I’m still nervous because I don’t know the kids who will be walking into my class, [and I’m sure] they are also nervous. However, so far it’s been a lot of fun, and it was a joy [to get] to know each other.”

“Previously, I was a secretary at Woodgrove High School and was working on getting my teaching license. The main reason why I wanted to come to Rock Ridge was the diversity, which is important when discussing new ideas, perspectives, and the unknown. However, since I joined in September, [I had to catch up because] my classes had a long term substitute teacher. I was, of course, nervous, but [I saw it] as normal because I’m starting something new. I was also excited. Right now, my goal is to help students progress. So far, I’m preparing my sophomores for upcoming English classes like English 12 or AP Lang. But for my seniors, it’s a bit different, because no matter where they’re going in life, reading and writing skills are necessary to navigate their world.”

“This year, I took on a new role as the assistant athletic director. [Due to my] participation in athletics in high school and college, I was always coaching football, track, wrestling, basketball, and girls lacrosse. When this opportunity came up, I thought it would be a good [way] to see the other side of [the school]. My goal is [for my kids] not to worry about making a mistake, to not worry about making a great play, to not worry about being great, but to be a contributor to your team [and have] fun.”

“I was a marketer for the federal government; [however,] with all of the change within the federal government, I thought it [was] wise to look for a different career path. I decided that because I am so passionate about marketing, business, and personal finance, it would be great to share that wealth of knowledge with younger people, and maybe it will help to guide them in their career paths towards that area. [Specifically,] I want to draw [my students] out of their shell, so they’ll share more readily in the classroom because I believe our students learn as much from one another in the sharing, as me standing up front and dictating or giving a lecture type of thing.”

“I went to college for engineering and hated it. [I worked] alone a lot of the time; however, I’ve always liked working with people, so I ended up switching into physics and math education. [This year, I want] to motivate kids to [get more involved]. It’s fun to see my students outside of the math classroom, whether they’re in the school play or if they’re participating in a sport. The whole philosophy [is] you guys are all well-rounded students, not just math students.”

“I went to the University of Virginia [as] a collegiate swimmer and [then started my] own business connecting with adults and teenagers. I saw how these teens were struggling [with] balancing school and being a swimmer, where you wake up at 4:30 a.m. and then go back to practice and all that. I figured, there’s gotta be a way [I] can help. My goals [here] are to establish relationships with all my students and also [increase] attendance [of] my students.”

“I’ve been working with Rock Ridge since they opened, and love the high quality caliber theater that they produce. [Originally], I used to be a stipend employee and help with random shows here, like Broadway Bound. So, I was kind of popping in [and] out. [However, as a theater teacher], it took a lot of adjusting and getting into a new routine and in a new space with a bunch of new kids. But for the most part, it was really good, everybody was really excited, and we had a nice time. The goal this year is to have a good time, to have fun, and enjoy doing [theatre] together. That’s why I wanted to do three musicals as the kids express that they wanted to do three musicals. Come see Footloose, HadesTown, and Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

“[Rock Ridge] was very different. [It’s] a very fast paced school, and [I] had a lot of students asking me to sponsor their clubs. The students are great. They’re very polite. [I’m] just kind of getting used to the culture here, [as] it’s a very different culture than the school that I came from but in a good way. So, I’ve heard great things about the school. I’ve heard that there are very high, rigorous classes here. [A] great thing about the students is that they work hard, and they care a lot about their grades.”

“It was an exciting [first week], [but also] a whirlwind, because as a new teacher, it’s like being a new student. You’re learning the building, learning the faces, getting used to the schedule, but it was really exciting to get to work with my counterparts and meet all the students and get settled in. I really like the culture here, but then also just to get a change. I came and visited, I really enjoyed the other P.E staff, and the admin that I met with.”