Italian teacher Adrienne D’Agostino posing for a teacher profile picture.

By  TATYANNA CABRAL & ANNA POWERS

This year, Malden High School is welcoming  Adrienne D’Agostino, the newest addition to the Italian department. It is her first year teaching at a high school, but she is adjusting to the new atmosphere. Before D’agostino came to MHS, she taught at Wilmington Middle School, a nursery school, and was a student teacher at an elementary school in Revere. In total, D’Agostino has been teaching for two years.

D’agostino graduated from Winthrop High School, and later graduated from University of Massachusetts Amherst where she double majored in Italian and History. She wanted to become a high school teacher because she believes that “it [is] the best age to teach foreign languages.”

In her classroom, D’agostino has students working in groups because she believes that it is a more effective way of learning. Sophomore Josh Simon commented that “[D’Agostino’s] class has been fun. She really knows what she is talking about.” Simon added that she “makes things interesting.”

Learning about the history of Italy is a big component in D’Agostino’s class. Her students are excited and look forward to learning Italian. D’Agostino gained an immense amount of knowledge of the Italian culture from her many visits to Italy. She had spent a semester of college there and went numerous other times with friends and family.

Outside of Malden High School, D’Agostino participates in zumba classes, and enjoys to ski and camp.

D’Agostino advises students to  “pay attention, take good notes, and ask lots of questions.” Though D’agostino is still getting lost around the hallways of MHS, she looks forward to teaching and sharing her knowledge with others.

BY KARINA MATOS & ANNA DESOUZA

Kordowska teaching a class.

Before Kordowska even stepped foot into MHS, she had gone to Melrose High for high school. After high school, Kordowska, “went to several colleges, such as UMass Amherst, Suffolk University and Boston University and now [she’s] at Salem State University.” She is currently majoring in education at Salem State. Kordowska has also majored in economics and history at UMass, and also has a business degree from Suffolk.

Teaching math is not the only thing Kordowska loves to do. Kordowska also enjoys to, “Hike, swim, garden during the summer time and talk about my dog who [she] is obsessed with.” Math being an important part of her life, her inspiration to begin teaching it came from, “several math teachers in high school, [she] specifically remember[s] [that] were role models for [her]. And it was just sort of their energy and their positive attitude and their passion for it that really resonated with [her].”

Kordowska also feels very passionately about math and the joys of learning it. “Math is like a puzzle,” she explains, “[She] love[s] that feeling when it finally clicks, and you finally have figured it out.” That it why she loves teaching math to kids so much. “[She] think[s] it’s fun to solve different problems, and [she] think[s] its great when kids get satisfaction from solving a problem they had difficulty with.”

Brown agrees that Kordowska is the right woman for the job, as he loves the fact that she is, “very hardworking, wants to learn, and she loves Malden.” Even his first impression if her was that she was going to be a, “strong teacher.”

Although Kordowksa is excited for the future, she’s not exactly sure what she wants to do next. “Well, I just got this job,” she states thoughtfully, “which is such a big accomplishment.” However, while not completely sure of any one thing she thinks her, “next accomplishment will be to master teaching.” While it is unclear what lies ahead for Kordowska, it is hoped that she will teach at MHS for many years to come.

Lauren Kutler, a new math teacher, working at her desk.

With the help of experienced staff members, and the passion that drove her goals, Lauren Kutler, a native of Portland, Oregon, began her career as a math teacher at Malden High School. Kutler graduated from Whitman College in Washington, but received her Masters degree in teaching at Boston University. Her experience student teaching at MHS with math teachers Jennifer Rogowicz and Genoveva Mateeva helped her structure her year, but she hopes to keep building upon each year.

Throughout the year, Kutler hopes “to figure out the organization of being a teacher.” Working alongside Rogowicz and Mateeva helped her become more comfortable with teaching, but this year is her year to fully accept the role of helping her students.

Gaining experience as a teacher is as important to her as becoming more acquainted with the community. She hopes to meet more teachers in her academy rather than only the ones in her math department. As a new teacher, “it is nice [for her] to have those resources.” Rogowicz encourages her to do the same, and “use the people around her,” and to “never be afraid to ask questions.” Kutler became apart of the Malden community recently, and to expand her view of the city as a whole, she wishes to attend school plays and other events.

Because Kutler has many freshmen this year, she hopes to “give them a friendly introduction” to math. She is teaching mainly Algebra I and Geometry, which uses variables, and she wants her students to be “open-minded” of all the new material.

Rogowicz hopes Kutler gets a great group of students so she could “focus on teaching rather than class management.” She knows Kutler, with her hardworking attitude and engaging lesson plans, she will do great things.

Jennae Cohen working at her desk.

BY AMANDA NGUYEN & TENZIN DORJEE

Jennae Cohen is temporarily joining the staff of Malden High School to fill in for the absence of Jessica Bisson. Cohen, a New York native, graduated Siena College with a degree in English. Shortly after graduating Siena College, Cohen worked in the publishing industry.

Cohen explained that  “she woke up one day” and realized how “unfulfilled” she felt whilst in the publishing industry. Back in college, she had worked with students, and she decided to try it once more, and started working at the Salemwood School in Malden. After her time at the Salemwood School, which she noted was “an amazing experience,” she realized teaching was her true calling.

When asked what made her qualified to fill in such a unique role such as the one Bisson served, as she was a math teacher as well as part of the Special Education department, both MHS principal, Dana Brown, and Boyle house principal, Christopher Mastrangelo, agreed it to be because of her experience.

Cohen will not simply be a conventional educator, but also work with the special education students based on her unique dual math and special education role. It will not be all fun and games for this new teacher, however, as she only has a limited time to, as Mastrangelo put it, “set the tone [and] get the ball rolling for Bisson,” as Bisson will return to her home at MHS come October.

Even with this tough position, Cohen finds each new day “exciting” as she “learns something new from [her students] everyday.” So, while her time may be short here at MHS, Cohen will always love MHS and all that it is, from its “diversity” to “the liveliness of the student body.”

New history teacher, Duncan MacLaury in his classroom.

BY MEGAN DOWNER & CANDELA DIAZ

Malden High School welcomes one of its newest addition to the staff, world history and psychology teacher, Duncan MacLaury. MacLaury grew up in New York but he moved to Boston where he attended Tufts University, majoring in history. He he has a love for reading, and traditionally re-reads The Lord of The Rings, or The Hobbit every year. He also describes himself as someone who is outgoing and loves to meet people as well as learn about them.

As an undergraduate, MacLaury attended an education class at Tufts University. Fellow history teacher Jonathan Copithorne, who also teaches at MHS ,was one of MacLaury’s classmates. Copithorne stated that MacLaury was “very bright,” and described MacLaury as “confident” because he was unafraid to raise his hand, even though he was the only student under 21 at that time.

While studying at Tufts University, MacLaury majored in United States History. His interest in the subject grew after he attended a class on the Black Panther Party.The class gave him a different perspective on the importance of the subject.

The professors at Tufts positively influenced MacLaury and acted as role models to him. Their interactions with their students has been admirable to MacLaury.

In the future, MacLaury hopes be as good of a parent as his were, and raise his children similar to how he was raised. People such as Hannah Hart, a youtube sensation, inspire MacLaury with their passions.

Before becoming a high school teacher, MacLaury was a student teacher at Dorchester High School. MacLaury loves interacting with all the students, and is fascinated by the 130 students who he can talk to about history and psychology in his classes.

The social studies department has been very welcoming and helped him settle in. MacLaury hopes to “do the best [he] can with what [he has], then build on that next year”.

Kathlyn Hill is Malden High School’s newest edition to the English department. Hill is from Anchorage, Alaska and earned her bachelor degree at the University of Alaska Anchorage and her Masters degree at Willamette University in Oregon. She has five younger siblings with whom she completed summer school with every year as a child, sparking her interest in education. She has wanted to become a teacher ever since she was young because she “really loves people and English” and thought teaching encompassed both of her interests. This year, Hill is teaching English 9 college prep and honors to freshmen as well as Dramatic Literature to seniors.

Although she believes every subject is of equal importance, she considers English a valuable and useful subject because a person  learns “to express [themselves] in writing and think for [themselves], question things, [it] enables [them] to understand what [they] read, what the text is saying and how it applies to [them] as a person.” English class allows students to talk about their experiences and the -ways in which they are relevant to what they are learning.

Sean Walsh, the head of the English department here at MHS, is very impressed with Hill as she has “already shown a commitment to Malden and her students” by “viewing students as scholars and treats [them with respect]” so early in her time here. He has observed that she “brings tons of energy and great experience to the classroom”.  He believes her “incredible knowledge about the subject matter and teaching practices” will help her easily “engage students, because [she] is a great team player in working with the curriculum”. Walsh notices that Hill has “a passion for [her]work that shows”.

In her free time, Hill enjoys hiking, spending time with friends, cooking, traveling, playing the kazoo, and air hockey. One of her favorite poems is “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S Eliot. She is also a fan of  the book “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe. Even though it is a story of the destruction of a civilization, she appreciates the story because Achebe’s writing “helps [people] understand culture, and understand that sometimes things [people] dismiss are not important and what [they] do not understand actually has a lot of worth.”

Hill is extremely pleased with MHS and describes it as “well-organized.” She added that the teachers are “positive” and put the students’ interests first. She enjoys having students of different backgrounds in her classroom who are motivated to learn. Being a part of MHS’s upbeat community of educators and learners is a thrilling experience for Hill. Walsh expressed that “she is a great addition to an already English department” and he “looks forward to seeing how she inspires freshmen this year.”

Malden High School is giving a warm welcome to new librarian, Mary Liberge. Before making her way to MHS, she was a librarian at the Ferryway School. Liberge originally had wanted to pursue teaching, but her passion for books steered her towards being a librarian. She loved fiction novels as a child and continues to today.

Liberge aims to be an understanding, respectful, and fair teacher. She enjoys talking with students about books and loves to see that students enjoy reading and working hard. Liberge expressed the importance of “[becoming] lifelong readers” and added that “a book will always be a good friend.”

Freshman Vivian Dang described Liberge as “nice and doing a great job as a new librarian.”  Senior Matt Le is in agreement about Liberge’s approachability, commenting that she is willing  to “help students and will do the same for this school.” In addition, Principal Dana Brown stated  that she has “done an excellent job by transferring from a K-8 school to high school.” Liberge looks forward to the rest of the year at MHS.

Mary Liberge in the Malden High School Library. Photo by Meghan Yip.

With a passion to work in a school setting, Nada Bourji joins the Malden High School staff as the new guidance counselor for the freshmen in Brunelli and Jenkins house.

Bourji originally grew up in Canton, Massachusetts, and has recently moved into Malden. During her childhood, she grew up in a second-generation Lebanese household. Growing up, she visited her relatives in Lebanon and went to school in America. Bourji feels that because of this she receives the “best of both worlds”.

Her passion for helping students drove her motivation to become a Guidance Counselor. “[I come] from a family of teachers.” says the Guidance Counselor. Bourji feels excited to be in Malden, she especially wants to help students academically and support them throughout their high school years, believing that this is the best part of being a Guidance Counselor. “[I have] always wanted to work in a school setting,” commented Bourji. Bourji expressed that when she was in college, “[She] really liked [her] Psychology class and my Counseling Theories class, so [she] combined two interests together and decided to become a Guidance Counselor.”

Nada Bourji posing for a picture. Photo by Meghan Yip.

This is Bourji’s first job in counseling after recently graduating from college. She is happy that the culture at Malden High School and the city of Malden is highly diverse, and her goal at MHS is to solve various issues and help out the students of the Jenkins and Brunelli house through difficult times. Her time adjusting is smooth-sailing, for Bourji finds the staff extremely friendly.

Bourji believes that an important goal here at MHS is to gain more experience and learn more about her profession. She feels “extremely grateful and excited to be here.” Bourji says that, “Guidance Counselors are here to help and support you through your decisions,” and to help students to not, “be overwhelmed by college.” She would like to like tell to students who are stressed about their future after High School “to look for help from their Guidance Counselor.”

Correction: In a previous version of this article, it was stated that Nada Bourji grew up in Canton, Massachusetts and currently lives in Malden, Massachusetts. This was incorrect; Bourji grew up in, and still lives in, West Roxbury, Massachusetts.

By JOSANDY JENUE AND CHRISTINA APPIGNANI

James Eliscar is Malden High School’s newest addition to the French department. Eliscar is very excited to be teaching French II and III at Malden High, but this won’t be his first teaching job. Before coming to Malden High, he taught social sciences at Boston College and Somerville High School. He is originally from Haiti and because of that most of his education was completed there. Eliscar majored in social/political sciences and economics/international relations in college.

Eliscar became passionate about French because “[he] was interested in how French speaking countries (official or not) would have a lot of similarities and differences with things such as their food, cuisines, and their language.” He is also interested in “a lot of the commonalities the French language shares with the rest of the world”. Eliscar someday hopes to add France to the long list of countries that he has visited. To name a few, Eliscar has traveled to Netherlands, Morocco, Senegal, Beneden, Ghana, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Quebec, Sint Maarten, and Dominican Republic. When asked about how he would like students to view him in his classroom he replied that “[he] does not want his pupils to be afraid to express themselves in French. Even though what [he] might be teaching may be a difficult subject, [he] would like [his students] to do the best [they] can and practice the language as much as possible.”

His co-worker and fellow French teacher Paul Degenkolb was very impressed with Eliscar’s resume. Degenkolb noticed that “[Eliscar] had lots of experience working in different countries on human development as well as tutoring in Haitian Creole.” Degenkolb also “found it great that [Malden High] could find a candidate who is from a French speaking country [Haiti] and [he] thinks it was an amazing way for the Haitian students to connect more with the teacher and the class.”

New French teacher James Eliscar. Photo taken by Ryan Hames.

Degenkolb thinks that “[Eliscar’s] teaching will impact students differently on how they receive a new perspective on French from a non-European point of view.” Degenkolb also finds Eliscar’s teachings “unique in the sense that traditional methods that [Eliscar] practiced in Haiti will be brought up to date.”

Outside of school in his free time Eliscar enjoys reading, travelling, and participating in non profit organizations. Eliscar enjoys reading because “it is another way to explore the world.” He likes travelling because “[he] thinks it’s a great way to encounter new cultures and meet new people.” Eliscar also takes pleasure in participating in non profit organization because it’s a great way to give back. He enjoys researching on topics such as social inquiries. He likes spending time with his family and friends and watching sports events such as soccer, football, and just started to become interested in baseball.

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BY REBECA PEREIRA, MICHELLE YIN AND JESAIAS BENITEZ 

The start of a new school year brings new students and staff members. Julia Stevens, a new staff member, has joined Malden High School science department to teach chemistry to sophomores. Previously, Stevens was a student teacher at the John D. O’Brien School, located in Boston, making this year her very first year teaching at MHS. She chose to teach at MHS, because, ¨[she had] a good feeling about the staff members who interviewed [her],¨ and valued the diversity of MHS and that the students and the staff was very welcoming and friendly. ¨ As any other new staff member or student, Stevens has trouble with finding her way around the school, but in her classroom she is able to ¨interact with students and watch them evolve,¨ throughout the school year which, according to her, are the two most rewarding parts of teaching.

Although she’s new, Stevens has already made an impression on her students and colleagues. Martin Berryman, a chemistry teacher at Malden High School, tells us how he immediately saw how passionate and interested Stevens is in her work and how energetic and organized she is. He wondered if she had ever struggled with anything, seeing that Stevens is so accomplished and dedicated. She made it clear that through college she did struggle but that the key to accomplishing her goals was to try her best and never give up on herself, despite how hard the struggle is.

New Science teacher, Julia Stevens. Photo taken by Ryan Hames.

She believes her determination is innate because she grew up in a family where ¨parents had high expectations,¨ – she was always inspired to work hard and do well in school. Her love for chemistry, which is very visible to her colleagues, is something that began long ago. Stevens grew up with parents who worked in science and has had multiple great role models during her career. When asked about who inspires her, Stevens is very honest in her choices: her mother, who inspired her to play her own part as one of the few women in a lab; her mentor at her previous school, whose work ethic she models; and, of course, her very own high school chemistry teacher, whose enthusiasm inspired her interest in chemistry.

When not teaching, Stevens enjoys reading and Taekwondo. She tells of how Taekwondo, which she’s been practicing since before college, has ¨taught [her] patience and confidence,” qualities which she’s been able to carry over to her teaching experience. Most importantly, she values “building relationships with students and colleagues, having fun, and going with the flow so [she doesn’t] get overwhelmed.”

Her goals for this year are to successfully implement her teaching philosophy which revolves around “gradual release of responsibility” through a process she labels “I do, we do, you do”, being more open to possibilities of bettering herself, and hopefully helping people “cringe a little less when they hear about chemistry.”

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By STEFANY FOLEY, SABRINA MONTEIRO, & MEGAN DOWNER

Malden High School is excited to welcome a new addition to the English Department, Brian Wong. Wong was born in Peabody, Massachusetts. Wong has traveled throughout most of the United States, which made a huge impact on how he started working at Malden High as an English teacher.

Wong always loved English when he was in high school but never imagined being an English teacher. During his time in high school, he started working in libraries in Westwood and Natick for four years and then got his masters degree later while working. He went to school for audio engineering and thought that was going to be his career, but decided that field wasn’t for him. Wong then started working at the Apple Store for about a year in detect training and enjoyed it very much, prompting him to go back to school to later receive two bachelor degrees. Wong, then moved on to getting a job here at Malden High.

Sean Walsh was part of the team that interviewed Wong during the process of hiring him. Walsh enjoyed his fun and positive attitude he emitted at the interview.  Walsh noted that ”[he thinks that Wong] brings to us some great energy and enthusiasm. [Wong] also is someone who [Walsh thinks] brings a real understanding of social and emotional mindfulness, which is really important for the student population.” Walsh also thinks that Wong “has a lot of things that are strong and positive aspects to the community.” Every Friday, Wong does “shoutouts” in his class, which is when students share something that they are grateful for. Wong would ask them what they value because he believes that it gives them a sense of respect and the comfort to share and grow. Walsh believes that students will respond well to Wong.

Margaret Giberson was another member of the team that interviewed Wong. Giberson had a lot to say about Wong’s personality and how he has a lot more to offer due to his path to becoming an educator. Giberson also said “My first impression of [Wong] is that he’s extremely enthusiastic and charismatic. You can tell immediately that he just wants to engage his students in a meaningful way.” Giberson was glad to have someone like Wong working within the English department at Malden High.

New English teacher Brian Wong. Photo taken by Ryan Hames.

Wong has two pet cats, Stormy and Rae, which he absolutely LOVES to cuddle with. Stormy is 10 years old, diagnosed with liver cancer, however; he seems to be walking and eating well. Rae is 6 years old and was found and rescued while she was a stray. Wong also used to speak Cantonese from ages two to four, but lost everything he knew once he started school. Wong noted that “[he is] really ashamed that [he] lost it.” Wong encourages his students who are bilingual to be grateful because it is very unfortunate to be able to do something, and suddenly realize it’s gone. Wong hopes that he will be able to help his students learn, grow, and value their opportunities that lie ahead.

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BY EMRAUDE BONNET & NEDEN BERNADIN

Nora Watson, known to students as Miss Watson, is a new math teacher here at Malden High School. Before arriving here at MHS, Watson worked at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter School in Boston for one year and also taught in Lawrence, Massachusetts for two years. Now that she’s here at MHS, she’s here to stay.

Watson chose to teach here because she enjoyed the environment, meeting the teachers, and the great diversity that is present at this school. She thinks it is wonderful that this school is so diverse with so many cultures and students with backgrounds from all over the world. Watson states that, “it’s exciting to get to meet so many different people.” She likes the fact that she gets to learn so much just by interacting with her students. There are things here at MHS that she has to get used to though, like the waterfall schedule, which she thinks takes some adjustment. In her opinion, it is one fast class to the next and it takes some getting used to that a class drops out every day, but she still likes the overall idea.

New math teacher Nora Watson. Photo by Ryan Hames.

When asked if she’s always wanted to teach, Watson responded with a quick, confident, “yes.” She actually came from a line of teachers – from her grandmother to her mother and her father right down to her. After she graduated with a degree of mathematics from Boston University, she immediately participated in Teach For America, which helps college graduates become a teacher. Watson loves to teach all math classes, specifically geometry, statistics and calculus. Watson also liked teaching chemistry in the past because the labs were fun. She believes that ”teaching can be very challenging but [she feels] like everyday matters and can make a difference in the life of a student,” and so teaching is a very important job.

As for the students here at MHS, Watson appreciates them and how much they’re helping her as a first year teacher; she thinks her teaching will get better, yet the students think she’s great the way she is. They’re respectful and kind to her, they give her advice and are very helpful. Sophomore Daniel Hong thinks “she’s a great teacher and loves the way she teaches.” Principal Ted Lombardi thinks she’s great as well. He actually worked on the same campus as her when she worked in Lawrence finds her  incredibly smart. He is very excited to have her around.

When she is not teaching, Watson likes to travel and sing. She actually sings with a group called the Tanglewood Singing Choir. She had previously lived in England and has traveled to all types of places like Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Barcelona is her favorite city in Spain, but she’s lived in Boston since 2010 and loves it here. She still loves to travel and travels when she can for cheap. She loves to travel because she loves learning about other cultures and loves architecture and seeing new places. She thinks the Tornado Travelers club here at MHS seems interesting because she would love to travel with other students and fellow staff members.

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By REBECCA OLIVEIRA, TOBY PITAN, & LEILA GREIGE 

Miranda Libkin is making her encore at teaching at Malden High School.

Many teachers and students admire her bubbly, funny personality and how she goes out of her way to always be there to help her students in whatever way she can. Not only is she a funny person to be around, Libkin is also a great storyteller, which goes hand-in-hand with teaching English and Drama/Theater. When asked to describe her as a teacher, Damian Aufiero stated that Libkin “loves students maybe more than teaching,” and that “she’s a very kind and gentle person”. According to Aufiero, Libkin is the kind of person who always tries to “find the positive in people…she’s so able to focus on the good things that keeps everyone in good perspective.”

New English and drama teacher Miranda Libkin. Photo by Ryan Hames.

Libkin says she is glad to be a returning member to Malden High School’s staff and to be back in the warm and friendly environment that MHS has to offer. During her absence last year, Libkin taught English Language Arts (ELA), to middle schoolers–mainly sixth graders–at Forestdale Elementary School here in Malden. She says that she “totally admire[s] people who teach middle school but [she] [is] definitely a high school teacher.” While teaching middle school, Libkin found that she “really love[s] to help students make connections” whether it be “connecting [their] lives to the things [they] are reading, or maybe connecting two different characters together.”

English is only one of the subjects that Libkin teaches here at MHS. Libkin is also a Play Production (Play Pro) instructor who uses her extensive background in theatre and performance to help students hone their acting, dance, and storytelling skills. She appreciates the wide-range of the classes that she teaches and describes how one morning she went from teaching a dance combination to teaching an english class about article claims over the span of two periods. She says that it some ways she is adjusting to balancing Play Pro and English, especially as they are consecutive periods, but she also admits that “it will always probably be a little bit crazy.”

There have been a few major changes to the MHS faculty during Libkin’s absence. Dana Brown, the former Principal of MHS retired with Mr. Lombardi assuming the current role. She is beginning to familiarize herself with Mr. Lombardi as the new principal and says that “[she] [has] had really good conversations with him”. She says “it would have been nice to be here for his last year” and upon hearing about Mr. Brown Day, she says “[she] wish[es] [she] was [here] to be apart of that.” However, Libkin says that she’s relieved that not a lot of the things that she loves about MHS has changed since she left.

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BY SARA ZAKARIA & RYAN HAMES

Thomas Snarsky is a new official teacher at Malden High. He teaches mathematics to various grades, the majority freshman. Snarsky previously student taught here at MHS, and also spent sometime in Somerville, Brown University, Providence, and Rhode Island.

Snarsky is from Braintree, and attended Braintree High School. He recalls his experiences in high school, saying that he ‘wasn’t very social’ and played one sport, which was golf. He remembers how he liked how he went from not knowing many people and feeling uncomfortable, especially during freshman year, to eventually getting to know a lot of people, and having a sense of what the school was, and feeling like he belonged there. Snarsky went on to be enrolled in Tufts University, earning his undergrad and master’s degrees.

New math teacher Thomas Snarksy. Photo by Ryan Hames.

The reason Snarsky became a teacher was due to his teachers during his high school years. He credited them for making him want to go to college and to study and teach math in particular. Snarsky also chose to teach mathematics because of a quote he was inspired by, which was “the essence of mathematics lies in its freedom.” He explained that math, to him, is the only place that you can make stuff up and follow the logical conclusion of what you made up, and create something beautiful. The people who inspire Snarsky to keep going everyday, are his coworkers and his students. He stated that students and teachers have different energies, so he loves how he not only gets to talk to teachers who have a lot of experience teaching and being at Malden High, but also work with students who are new to this school, and “have a brand new energy.”

When asked what grades he preferred to teach, he said he loves teaching freshmen in particular, and since it’s their first year in high school, he loves to welcome them into the school and the community, like everyone else has done to him when he first came.

Snarsky’s opinions on Malden High remain positive, as he said that he loved the school, and Mr. Brown, the former principal of Malden High, really helped him feel comfortable and at home last year. He’s most excited for getting to know his students and finding out what their strengths and interests are, and learning about the community at large.

He spent some time teaching kids at Providence, which he talked about. He talked about how it was just one class, filled with students in different grades. He said the experience “was interesting, because we had to make it work with for students who are in very different places, and some were thinking ‘Wow, I have to go to college next year’ or a month and a half and some were just starting high school.” Snarsky also spent time teaching a program called Breakthrough Collaborative, taking place during the summer and at a middle school in Dorchester, that had mostly seventh graders, “the youngest group of students I’ve ever taught.” Snarsky spoke about his time there, saying it was really cool, and how the energy was different in middle school students. He spoke about how they did a retreat in a campground during the program, and how it was really fun and they built a strong sense of community during it, which he hopes he can bring to this school and his students.

Snarsky was also the winner of Poetry Out Loud teacher competition last year. His mentor encouraged him to try it and compete, and he said how he was planning to competing again this year.

Snarsky remembers a time when a mentor teacher told him once to “keep calm and love in your heart,” which relates to being a good teacher. His opinion of a good teacher is a person who can retain a feeling of calm and purposefulness, and also enjoy the content, caring about their students and their success, and showing that.

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BY KAYLA SOUSA & SYDNEY STUMPF

Volleyball coach and gym teacher Mark Gagnon has been passionate about sports his whole life. Born and raised in Malden, Gagnon worked at the YMCA in which he taught swimming lessons as a kid. Gagnon credits his passion for teaching due to his experience at the YMCA as well as being very athletic in school where sports were a creative outlet for him. Surprisingly as a child Gagnon recalls that he was very shy and wished to be either an accountant or gym teacher but he chose to be a gym teacher because he believed that it would be the better option for himself. His experience at the YMCA has helped him “come out of his shell” and has made him a more “outgoing and confident person”.

New MHS gym teacher Mark Gagnon. Photo by Ryan Hames.

After he attended Malden High School Gagnon went to Springfield College in which he got his bachelor’s degree in science, minored in health and got his masters degree in education at Cambridge College. Originally Gagnon wanted to teach younger children in the elementary levels but as he had been offered a job at Malden High School and he now loves it.

Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, he was transferred to the Salemwood in which he spent most of his career. Other than teaching at Malden High School and Salemwood, he also has taught at Melrose and Everett. Up until now he has worked at the Salemwood and due to the new job opening at Malden High School, he chose to “try something new”. Now, Gagnon prefers teaching upper classmen due to their “maturity level” and because he finds them to be “less impulsive”. He is excited to start a new chapter of his life at Malden High School.

Gagnon’s hobbies include playing golf, swimming, traveling, and over the years has learned to enjoy reading as well. He has traveled to Aruba, all the Carribean islands, Canada, Florida and has yet to travel to Europe. He also is a “huge Celtics fan” and enters the biggest fan contest in which he usually “comes in the top 3” states Charle Conefrey, the Athletics Director at Malden High School. Along with being a huge Celtics fan, Charlie Conefrey also states that Gagnon has a “great teaching reputation” as well as “an extensive background in teaching.” Lombardi credits Gagnon’s hiring for his “energetic personality” and believes he will be a “ great addition to the Malden High School staff.”

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BY MAKESHA MERCEDAT & AILIN TORO

Jennifer Doo is a new addition to Malden High School staff this year. She was born and raised in Rhode Island and graduated from UMASS Amherst. She’s lived in Malden for almost ten years. She says that she loves Malden and the community and she was really excited to teach at one of the schools. However, before Doo began teaching, she gave back to the different communities in a variety of ways for different organizations organizations.

Out of college, Doo began to travel abroad. She started out by serving in the Peace Corps for two years. She also traveled to different countries and even taught the English language for a year in China. She then worked at nonprofits in administrative positions for organizations that she said had “huge local missions.” Those organizations being Best Buddies (a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to helping people with autism and other developmental disabilities), Horizons from Homeless Children (dedicated serving to homeless children and families)  and Youth for Understanding (is a non-profit organization that offers you the possibility to work or study a year, semester or summer in a foreign country.)

Even though Doo loved working for these organizations, she missed teaching because she wanted to interact with students and inspire them to learn new things. She wanted to try to have a real teaching position and started her career out at Lawrence High School, here in Massachusetts, where she stayed for four years.

When asked why Doo chose to be an ELL teacher, she said that she cares a lot about culture and not just the grammar and reading aspects of English. She wants her students to embrace diversity and through this class she is able to do that.   Although there were some hesitancies because she was not sure if she was ready to officially be a teacher, Doo says it turned out to be “a really good decision.” So far, Doo says she enjoys teaching at Malden High. She is especially happy with the “love and support she sees in the hallways and in [her] classroom” from her students. She also loves the diversity Malden High has to offer.

In her free time, Doo likes to play tennis, read, and spend time with her friends and family. Doo speaks some Chinese, English, and very little Spanish but she is practicing and trying to learn more.

You can find Doo in room J362.

Jennifer Doo. Photo by Ryan Hames.

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BY ANA PIROSCA, JEMISHA SYLIANT, & ANNA POWERS

Malden High School welcomes new teachers every year, and along with a new teacher comes a new aura of excitement, nervousness, and determination. Arielle McCoy, who can be found by the signature Pikachu on her door, is ready for the new year of Algebra 2 (CP and Honors), and Intermediate Algebra. McCoy’s journey from California to New Mexico to finally here in Massachusetts proves that she knows a thing or two about adjusting. Her fresh face radiates excitement to teach and learn.

New math teacher Arielle McCoy. Photo by Ryan Hames.

McCoy has studied and lived across the continent. Although she was born in California, her studies began at New Mexico University with chemical engineering, and later to Smith College to study math. When she finally arrived to Tufts University, here in Boston, McCoy decided to earn her masters in math education. She took night classes here and as a result didn’t find much time to explore the campus. “[She] didn’t have a chance to really mingle with people there.” Also, California and New Mexico are almost the complete opposite of the New England. McCoy had to learn to adjust to cold weather quickly. “The weather is really beautiful to look at – not nice to be in. So it took [McCoy] 5 years to get a real winter coat… but [she] thinks [she’s] acclimated here now.” The struggle was worth it, since Malden gained an amazing member in the math department.

Like every other teacher she understands that she is going to change lives, though this is not new news to her as it is McCoy’s 4th year teaching. Her experience as a teacher was with the Boston Public School System, teaching math at both Fenway High School and Excel High School. At first glance, Malden High School is rather big, as McCoy explains: “Fenway was the smallest, when [she] was there. There were about 300 students.. and Excel High School was about 600 students, so now this is 3 times as much,” which excites McCoy. “The students [here] are amazing – the students are so responsible; they check each other, if they start getting a little disrespectful, like, talking while [she’s] talking, they check each other before [she has] to say anything.”

It is quite evident that McCoy enjoys working with kids. Growing up, she always felt like a peer tutor. “[She] was always someone who liked to help other people [because] [she] honestly [believes] that if [she] can get to the top, [she doesn’t] want to leave [her] peers behind. [She wants] to help them get up there too so that [they] can reach even higher levels.” Thus, McCoy thought teaching would be a great job for her, because “it’s kind of like giving back to the community as well, but also just uplifting everyone and making them believe that they can do anything they set their minds to.” Her ultimate goal is to change peoples’ feelings towards math, “It’s very rare that [she comes] across students or people in general who say ‘I can do math and I like it,’ so [she’s] hoping that [her] personality is pretty fun and engaging.”

This year at Malden High School, Intermediate Algebra is a new class that’s designed for kids who might struggle in Algebra 1 and require a little assistance in Algebra 2. McCoy was pleasured with the fact of being able to help these students. “[McCoy] usually [runs] into students who say ‘I hate math’; ‘I’m not good at math’; ‘I’m terrible at math”, and she believes she will be able to help students believe the opposite by being relatable and interesting; “When [she is] very happy, [she says] ‘Awesome sauce’ a lot; ‘Awesome blossom’, [she’d] do a little dance, [she is] a little silly in class.”

McCoy wants her students to help her be the best teacher she can be simply by being who they are because “people are who they are, and there is a lot of diversity in that, and [she likes] to learn about peoples’ cultures, peoples’ languages, and it’s just fun to get to know people as themselves.” Overall, she loves what she does, and is very happy to join Malden High School in another year of learning.

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BY SUBIN BASTOLA, MAN NGUYEN & ABHISHEK RANA

Ralph McKenzie is the newest addition to the Malden High school math department. Born in Boston and raised in Braintree, Massachusetts, McKenzie likes to go by Ray instead of his given name, Ralph. He graduated from UMass Boston with a Bachelor’s degree in English on May 2016. When asked about what attracted him to Malden High, McKenzie explained that is was Malden’s diversity that made it the “perfect choice.” In terms of diversity, “[Malden] stands head and shoulders above the rest of the cities in the area.”

New math teacher Ray McKenzie. Photo by Ryan Hames.

When asked why he decided to become a teacher, McKenzie replied that he enjoys “working with students and that [he loves] seeing an enthusiasm on every student for different things.” After being a tutor for a year and a half at different high schools including Boston Public schools, Charlestown High, and Snowden International, this is McKenzie’s first year teaching his own classes and having his own room. McKenzie currently co-teaches Algebra I with Bradley Gelling and Christopher Giordano. Besides teaching that course, McKenzie also runs a support class for the Algebra I students. When asked about what the toughest aspect of his job is, McKenzie replied that it “trying to identify student interests” that was the most challenging. As well as helping them “relate [what they learn] to their daily lives. Like every other new student and teacher, McKenzie is also trying to fully understand the rotating schedule. He mentioned that the “schedule [at Malden High] is pretty crazy and [he is] still trying to fully comprehend it.”

During his free time, McKenzie enjoys watching football. Like many other Bostonians, McKenzie is a big Patriots fan. He also enjoys listening to music and is passionate about playing video games. “[He loves] listening to jazz, rap, metal, and pretty much everything else except country.” Besides that he also loves reading, especially poetry. He mentioned that his favorite writers include Charles Bukowski, Matthew Dickman, and Stephen King. Due to his interest in poetry, McKenzie hopes to volunteer for this year’s annual “Poetry Out Loud.”

McKenzie is excited and

looks forward to the new year and whatever it may bring.

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BY FALYN KELLEY & TATUM SKIFFINGTON

Kristy Hardy, a new adjustment counselor here at Malden High for the Holland house enters the building with a positive mindset and a determined attitude. Graduating from Merrimack in 2005 and Boston University in 2009. Hardy graduated with a Master’s degree in social work, Bachelors of Science degree, in communications. After graduating, Hardy got a job as the new adjustment counselor at the Pioneer Charter School of Science and continued her job there for almost two years. Then moving onto a job at Everett High, where she worked for a year and 2 months. “[Everett High] eliminated all of the adjustment counselors in the district” Hardy states.

During the small amount of time she has been here, she noticed and appreciated the large amount of clubs and other counsellors that Malden High has to offer. This created a sense separation between Malden High and the other schools she has worked for prior to coming here.

New teacher, Kristy Hardy. Photo taken by Ryan Hames.

While not helping as many students as she can, she enjoys spending her free time with her nieces, nephews, and other family members. For activities Hardy also enjoys paddleboarding, drawing, and attending concerts. Growing up in Everett, she attended Pope John and became friends with many people from Malden in her teenage years.

We welcome Kristy Hardy to our school with open arms. She hopes to help as many kids as she can in as many ways as possible and in exchange, we hope to be able to help her in as many ways we can. Hardy is ready and determined for whatever it is that Malden High has to throw at her.  

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