South welcomes several new educators to the community this school year. 

Some new teachers include Heather Vaughn, Jenny Dolan, Jacob Mertz, and Emily Pagano. While being interviewed these teachers shared their individual experiences prior to and at South. 

“I really like South. The staff is great to work with and the kids have been fun to get to know.  I am teaching Algebra and Geometry and feel like both groups of kids are working hard,” said math teacher Jenny Dolan. 

English teacher Emily Pagano echoed that sentiment.

“I wanted to teach at Parkway South because of the values of this building and district. Even before being hired, I could tell that teachers, admin, staff, students— all the people who make up the community of South— genuinely care and encourage one another. I love it here and how the focus is on educational growth and overall well-being,” Pagano said.

Each teacher gave different reasons for wanting to join the South High community. Still, the similarity between them all were comments on how wonderful and welcoming the people have been thus far. 

Two of the new teachers said they loved their past experiences here so much they decided to come back and help further the education of the students. 

“Before coming to South, I had been a substitute teacher in the building and I completed my student teaching with Mrs. Forrest-James and Mr. Hachmeister in 2021. Also, I have 3 adult children who are South High graduates, so I’ve enjoyed being a part of the South community as a parent long before I began teaching I really enjoy teaching at South High. I think it is a great community and we have a lot of opportunities,” English teacher Heather Vaughn said.

Math teacher Jacob Mertz said he wanted to spend his first year teaching here at South due to the unforgettable time he had when attending South as a student. 

“The environment at South has been great! I know the majority of the staff already, as well as where everything is in the building. Going here prepared me for what to expect, and it has been exactly as I remembered,” he said.

Each and every teacher has experienced their own ups and downs when navigating this career field, so when asked they gave inspiring words for students about becoming a teacher that can also be applied to anyone’s life. 

Vaughn spoke about how she followed her heart and is now able to spend her time doing what she loves.

“My advice to others who are considering teaching is to do it, and not wait for perfect timing. It took me a few years to admit I should switch to teaching, and then it took several years to earn my certification. I wish I’d listened to my heart a bit sooner and not doubted myself,” she said.

While there are many challenges one might encounter it’s essential to always look for the bright side as mentioned by Pagano

“It’s a job that is new each day. You get to build relationships, be creative, learn with young people, and be surrounded by such energy every day. It’s challenging and overwhelming at times, and also rewarding and joyful and incredible,” she said.

Mertz gave his thoughts on how to properly handle those difficult situations that students could encounter in and outside of school. 

“I would advise the person to be patient/resilient. Things will not always go your way, but you can control your reaction to it and how it affects you,” he said.

Other new additions to South are Brittany Bufford, Abby Castillo, Chris Frank, Erica Evans, Stacy Isaacs, Lindsey Perkins, Diane Peterson, Erica Rawson, and Brionne Smith.