Our school is filled with a multitude of driven and talented teachers, and many of them leave a lasting impression on their students. Chorus teacher Jocelyn Mullins, Government Teacher Diane Holland, Physics Teacher Deborah Waldron and Environmental Science Teacher Eric Brown are some members of this year’s staff who have made their mark on our campus.

Trends in student answers give us a better understanding of what makes certain faculty stand out. 

“Deborah creates an interactive and inclusive environment for all her students, and she always keeps a positive attitude no matter how she may be feeling…. My favorite memory with Deborah would probably be our static electricity lab where we all had to hold hands, and we all got shocked, but it was really fun,” senior Katrin Bergesen said. 

Senior Ann Leslie Riley also cites interactiveness as one reason she loves her AP Comparative Government teacher Diane Holland.

“She can make a super difficult class, comparative government, super interesting and really fun and interactive and easy to understand. She also just has such a passion for what she teaches,” Riley said. 

Alongside passion and class design, it becomes evident that demeanor and compassion for students is also what makes the student-teacher dynamic work.

“My favorite teacher is Ms. Holland because she is super sweet and doesn’t overload us with work,” senior Owen Madden said.

This light-hearted intent can also be seen in seniors Clara Smith and Eyob Desta’s descriptions of choir teacher Jocelyn Mullens and AP Environmental Science teacher Eric Brown.

“Ms. Mullins is always very supportive and always ready to make the class super fun,” Smith said.

“He’s really chill but also cares about us and wants the best for us and tries to make class fun. He also played Love Sosa once in class,” Desta said.

As seen in these student responses, it is important for a teacher to care deeply about their subject and their audience but also for them to keep things lively and manageable. We’re excited to see what these teachers bring to incoming classes.