There have been 17 new faculty members added to DeMatha this school year. Ten new teachers joined the faculty, ranging from new science teachers to new theology teachers. DeMatha also added new admissions and main registry members as well as two new trainers. There were also two new interns.
Mr. Casey, the new business teacher and second-year football coach, spoke about his experiences in his first year at DeMatha. “The first year in the building at DeMatha has been awesome. I love being around you guys, I love being able to talk football with not just the players but the students, as well. And I just love being around you guys everyday, so it’s been awesome. I don’t have a bad thing to say about any of the teachers. This is definitely like a family environment. For example, to be able to talk with a Mr. Strickland and learn from him, to be able to sit and talk with Mr. Brown and learn from them, it’s so cool for me as a younger teacher. I’ve taught at three schools. I’ve taught to all Italian kids [where] I didn’t speak Italian they didn’t speak English. That was fun but it was tough. I taught fifth graders, and this has definitely been my favorite experience by far.”
Ms. Skaare, our new Admissions Service Associate, says, “All the faculty have made me feel very welcomed and have helped me through my transition into this position. I’ve had other experiences at other schools and I would say this one is the best. I like being able to help incoming families. The plan is to stay as long as they will let me stay.”
Mr. Dushel, the new math teacher, says, “Overall I’ve had a good experience. DeMatha is a positive enviornment. Students, staff, and family are all excellent. I’ve been teaching seven years, my first six years at a middle school, this is my first high school experience. DeMatha is my most favorite place I’ve worked at and I enjoy the religious component of the school. Overall students are respectful, work hard, and have lots of outside interest. I’m from Maryland and went to UMD so I’m familiar with the DeMatha area. I used to work in San Francisco but I moved back and interviewed with Mr. Hurst and Mr. Haller to get the job.”
DeMatha has been a welcoming experience to some of the new staff at DeMatha. The way they describe their experience at DeMatha so far is in line with DeMatha’s emphasis on brotherhood. Some of the new staff have gone on to describe their experiences with the students and veteran faculty members, and how those students and faculty members have integrated them into life at DeMatha. These teachers all called it their best teaching experience, and the environment is a major reason why this is a highly touted school.
