Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
Photo from Peyton Impola.
Grace Strelow
The Charger Press staff would like to give a huge thank you to all the teachers that put in work day in and day out to make HHS the best it can be. We appreciate each and every one of you. So from the bottom of our hearts, we want to know how appreciated you are.
Not only does the Charger Press staff appreciate HHS teachers, but so do all the Hamilton students. Check out the responses below to see what students have to say about our teachers.
MATH
PK: I want to shout out PK because she has been my advisement teacher for the past 3 years. She has always made an effort to make everyone feel included and I know all of us are very sad that she won’t be graduating with us. I hope retirement treats her well.
PK: Staying consistent and strong as a teacher even though her retirement is coming up. Being super supportive of her students through AP exams and taking time to focus on our social lives while school is stressful.
Mr. Wetherall: I have had him as a teacher both this semester and last semester for algebra a/b and he is such an amazing teacher, he completely changed my view of math and I went from failing math both years at Templeton, to having an A and getting A's on all my test. He deserves so much appreciation.
Mr. Fagan: He is such an amazing teacher and makes me enjoy math and just school in general.
Mr. Fagan: He is my favorite teacher and is the only math teacher that got me to like taking a math class. He is so funny and overall a teacher I feel comfortable being around.
Mr. Fagan: A very welcoming and positive teacher; the best that I've ever had.
Mrs. Wied: She truly cares about every single one of her students.
Mr. Sciortino: He’s a great math teacher and fist bump Fridays are the best!
Mr. Wunschel: He stays after school and lets kids come into his prep period to ensure every kid understands all the content. He has never had a kid fail the AP Calc exam, which is really impressive! He is so committed to every student's success.
Mrs. Winters: I want to shout out Mrs. Winters; she has a really positive attitude about teaching and is there for students when we need help with an assignment or a concept. She has been patient with us all year and provided flexible deadlines if we needed it. Math class is a lot easier and far less stressful with her teaching!
Mrs. Winters: Mrs. Winters is by far the best teacher I have ever had! She is patient, caring, and incredibly kind. She truly cares about her students and is genuinely great at teaching. The way she organized her lessons made it easy for me to follow and understand the content. She is always willing to help and spend time with you to really get the concepts down. I have never been hesitant to ask questions in her class because she always makes you feel heard. She goes the extra mile and makes you comfortable in your learning environment. She really went above and beyond for me and I appreciate it more than she will probably ever know.
Mr. Dejarlais: I want to shout out Mr. Dejarlais because he is always so excited to teach his students math and is always willing to help out if anyone has questions. He makes learning fun and it is clear he cares for all of his students.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Ms. Hintyz: I had Ms. Hintyz for history in my freshman and sophomore year, then went to Europe with her this past summer, and I’m now her TA. Through all this time she’s remained both one of my favorite people and teachers! She’s made every class period I’ve ever been in incredibly fun and hilarious. I don’t know what I’d do without her daily sarcasm and remarks to the Duggar family. I’m so glad I’ve gotten the chance to spend my last semester at Hamilton with her, she’s truly made it special and I’m so appreciative of that! Thank you Ms. Hintyz for being amazing!
Mr. Bosley: He has always made learning fun. He would keep up when we were all joking around in class. There was never a dull moment because something funny would always be happening. Bosley made macro enjoyable which is why I liked that class so much.
Mr. Dahnke: He is just a fun teacher, and always has a comment that just makes the day a little better.
Mr. Pechanach: For being very clear with the topics we’re studying, letting us find out what study methods work best for us, being able to push more engaging discussions that are fun to talk about, and overall just being a really cool and chill teacher.
Mr. Pechanach: He's the goat.
Mr. Roth: He is truly dedicated to the content he teaches and puts so much time into making every student feel confident in their abilities!
Mrs. Swanson: She always takes time out of her day to help any students left behind from an absence. She understands how us kids act and can play along with running gags and even chip in on a joke; teachers with senses of humor are always great! It's no surprise that she's worked here as long as she has; the formula for being a great teacher, being available, approachable, academic, and amicable, is something she's mastered. I would just like to give a shout out to the real MVPs that others would overlook.
Mrs. Budney: She is such an amazing teacher and she really helped me out when I was going through a rough time and she is definitely my all time favorite teacher and I still stop and talk to her frequently.
Mr. Heckman: He helps me through my grades and homework. He is very effective in class time because he talks very loud to keep me awake and focused.
Mr.Heckman: He puts up with a lot of crap from his students, yet still manages to stay positive and keep the classes engaging and fun.
COMMUNICATION ARTS
Mrs. Kowalske: She always answers questions thoroughly and is always in a positive mood. She is very kind and helpful, makes class enjoyable, while teaching a lot at the same time.
Mrs. Kowalske: Although I’m not in her class this year she’s helped with everything from writing an outstanding college recommendation letter to editing my college essays to inspiring me with great charger press ideas! My daily conversations with her are something I cherish and I really appreciate how she is always there for me whether it’s for a laugh or advice. I also have to mention just how amazing of a teacher she is because her AP Lang class had a huge impact on my writing skills and education! She will forever have an impact on me and my school career! Thank you, Mrs. Kowalske for EVERYTHING!
Mrs. Kowalske: She has put up with my super fun comm arts 9 class all year. She has not only been a great helper but she has been nice all year long while having no reason to. She is a great teacher because when you have missing work she won't just let it go missing and she will let you know because she wants her students to be the best that they can. This shows her true care for her students. I have never considered myself a big Comm arts fan, but having Mrs. Kowalske as a teacher makes it fun to be there every day. Thank you Mrs. Kowalske.
Mr. Holloway: He has been a great teacher, rugby coach and amplify advisor. I really appreciate him starting amplify and encouraging me to be president of the club. I also love the fun daily questions he does on his white board.
Mr. Holloway: The topics discussed, art forms explored, books read, and media consumed in his class introduced me to a way of thinking that I was completely unaware of before stepping foot in his class. He showed me how to make Kafka and Shakespeare accessible and how to think philosophically when reading Camus and other existentialist thinkers. His class really pushed me to make my big, first step towards self-realization and I'm grateful to Holloway, not for telling what to believe in and what I should think, but how to question what I believe in and think both abstractly and independently.
Mr. Holloway: I enjoy his personality and how much he connects with all of the students!
Ms. Marklund: She makes her classroom fun and inviting, and she’s genuinely interested in what all her students do outside of school.
Mr. Nysse: I would like to shout out Mr. Nysse for helping me and two other students study for AP Lit when he had no reason to do so. We definitely would have struggled without him, so we really appreciated it.
SCIENCE
Mrs. Wainio: She is such an inspiration. She relates and connects with students along with keeping things real. Definitely one of the best teachers at hamilton.
Mrs. Wainio: I’ve only known Mrs. Wainio for a short amount of time but in that time she quickly became one of my favorite teachers. Not only was her AP Environmental class one of the most interesting and fun classes I’ve taken, but the club she runs, club action, is one of the best clubs I’ve ever been a part of. Mrs. Wainio does an outstanding job at both teaching and being a club advisor. I also can’t ignore how funny she is and how every time I have a conversation with her I laugh. After getting to know Mrs. Wainio this year I will never refer to soil as dirt EVER AGAIN. Thank you for being awesome Mrs. Wainio!
Mrs. Wainio: I appreciate her because she is such an inspiration. She relates and connects with students along with keeping things real. Definitely one of the best teachers at hamilton.
Mr. Weiss: I appreciate him for his genuine love for the subject and his teaching style. He understands that not every student loves the subject.
Mr. Weiss: He is a great teacher and is so passionate about physics. He truly wants every student to understand the subject and he finds ways to make it entertaining. He always has demonstrations and labs to help students understand concepts, while also having fun.
Mr. Weiss: I would love to shout out Mr. Weiss. I loved being in class with him and he was the funniest teacher I know. He teaches so I can follow him and actually learn in his class, which I have never had much success with before him. I can tell he cares about his students and wants what is best for them. Thank you Mr. Weiss, I will miss you. Never change.
Mr. Weiss, because he works incredibly hard and teaching physics cannot be easy. He also is in a good mood every day and is very funny. He easily can pick up anyone's mood and it's easy to see how passionate he is for what he does.
Mrs. Ryman: She carried Honors Biology Class last year and made it the most fun class.
Ms. Rezash: She is very dedicated to her students & subject. She does her best to set students up for success while maintaining a fun learning environment. You can tell she really loves what she is teaching.
Mr. Kougl: I want to shout out Mr. Kougl because he made chemistry interesting throughout the whole year. Even though it was tough, he really prepared us for the test, and I think that his class was one of the most rewarding classes I have taken.
Mr. Kougl: He is one of the funniest teachers ever! He makes learning super fun and he really cares about his students. I felt very prepared walking into the AP chem exam thanks to him.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
The Special Education department is one of the most dedicated and hardworking at this school. When I worked with the staff members in this department for my service project I was exposed to the amazing nature of the department. The people working in this department care so much about their students and making this school a better place. The school is lucky to have such wonderful members in its staff and their impact is truly underappreciated.
WORLD LANGUAGES
Senora Sumiec: She makes learning fun!
Senora Sumiec: She’s a kind, caring teacher who always works her hardest to connect and teach every one of her students. Señora makes learning fun, and her class is always engaging and productive.
Senora Feudner: Mrs. Feudner has been teaching me Spanish since I was a little freshman to now as a Senior. Out of all the Spanish classes I’ve taken hers has by far been the most fun and well taught! Senora never fails to make me laugh in her class. My personal favorite moments are when she puts up cartoons in Spanish. When it comes to the class itself it is not easy to learn Spanish, but Senora does an outstanding job of helping you learn and understand. Thank you Senora!
Senora Feudner: She is such a nice person and great at teaching Spanish.
Senora Feudner: I appreciate her as nothing ever seems to phase her. She always knows what to say to shut down any verbal remarks from students and keeps class moving through our Spanish lessons. She is an amazing teacher!
Mr. Tennessen: I would like to shout out Mr. Tennessen for making French engaging and fun (and allowing the best food parties)
Mr. Tennessen: He brings a positive, enthusiastic energy to class that makes students look forward to learning every day!
Mr. Schultz: He teaches well and when asking for help, he really explains the answer so that you understand it fully and it isn’t just a random answer.
Frau Karrels: After having her for multiple years, I can attest to the fact that she is a great German teacher and is both understanding and incredibly helpful. She is great at teaching the language and makes each class fun and interesting.
Frau Karrels: She is really nice and puts up with all the class clowns (making it fun along the way), and I like the gimkits and activities that we do in class.
Ms. Karrels: She was a really great German teacher my first semester, and she let me stay in her room during lunch to study for AP Physics throughout second semester.
Senora Sheikh: Senora is always willing to help and explain to her students. She genuinely wants all of her students to succeed and makes that a clear priority. She creates fun lesson plans and makes learning fun. She is such a good teacher who actually cares and gets to know her students. No matter what, she is always caring and kind to students.
BUSINESS
Mr. Oechsner: This is the first year I've had Mr. O, but he is one of the best teachers I've had throughout my 4 years at Hamilton. He makes Personal Finance incredibly fun with the real-life activities he does and how he teaches the concepts in his class. Not to mention he is one of the most understanding teachers when it comes to mental health, making sure students have enough time for assignments, and always checking in to make sure everyone in the class understands the concepts. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of his class and I'm so appreciative of all you do for us! He truly does prioritize his students and I recognize that! Thank you for being cool, Mr. O!
Mrs. Fields: She makes Personal Finance fun and interesting and is very helpful when you get stuck on something.
Mrs. Fields: She is really funny and great at making business fun! She is great at teaching what she does and is always willing to help out when needed.
TECH EDUCATION
Mr. McLaughlin: Even though I’m the only girl in the welding class he makes me feel not out of place.
Mr: Premo: MRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.PRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOO
Mr. Baker: He is very nice and has helped me so much in class.
Mrs. Rose: She has exposed me to multiple aspects of engineering while making it fun and interactive.
ART/MUSIC
Ms. Strelow: She is very funny and very instructive in our class.
Ms. Strelow: She welcomes everyone with open arms and makes sure we are cared about. She also doesn’t put up with any kind of hatred and makes us all feel safe.
Ms. Plamann: I’m new to music and she and MC have helped me so much in piano.
Ms. Plamann: She was such a welcoming person when I first met her, is easy to have a conversation with, and is always pushing me to do more and be my best self!
Ms. Plamann: Plamann has been here for many years and through the years the one constant of the music/drama programs is her. Plamann makes days fun and engaging while also being a reliable source for anyone. She is very open with everyone and is always there for her students. She advocates for our voices when we cannot and she supports us in any way possible.
FAMILY AND CONSUMER EDUCATION
Mrs. Farrell: You are an amazing teacher. You make the class laugh and it is awesome watching you with the children at playgroup. You are a good role model and I would love to be a teacher just like you one day! I'm going to miss you in college and I want you to know you have a big impact on all of your students. Thank you for making my last semester enjoyable and entertaining. PS- you play exceptional music during work time.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Mr. Lena: He makes class fun whether it's in the health segments of the semester or the gym part of the semester. While making it fun he still has good class control and he treats everyone nicely and the same no matter what their skill level is.
Mrs. Block: She always has a positive attitude and a friendly smile
Ms. Ullmann: She makes my morning better!
Ms. Ullmann is always a happy face in our school. No matter the situation, she's always there with a supportive comment and a smile, and every student who has had her would agree!
Mr. Cibulka: Mr. C takes time out of his day to engage and get to know EVERY student in his class. His dedication and love for his job is undeniable. He brings a positive attitude and can turn a bad day around.
