WARNING! New Teachers

By Rebecca Kane and Kayla Hardin

Having a new schedule necessitates new teachers. During the school year of 2011-2012, we were on an abbreviated schedule. This year we have changed schedules again. Block schedule? Yes indeed , and changing schedules calls for new teachers.

Mr. Powell was born in England and lived in Canada . His life in Canada was very successful. He owns a furniture company which supplies many retail stores like target and sears. Mr. Powell has been married for 22 years, a significant accomplishment to be proud of. He and his wife have also raised three wonderful children and have recently taken in a foster child . He went to school in Winnipeg, Canada, and graduated with a mechanical engineering degree.

We asked Mr. Powell a few questions about when and why he became a teacher. ”I decided I wanted to become a teacher two years ago,” Mr. Powell informed us. “I wanted to teach somewhere in Cookeville because I coach the Cookeville ladies lacrosse team. When asked “ How are you liking it here?” He responded, “ So far so good.”

In addition to Mr. Powell, Ms. Campbell is also a new teacher. Ms. Campbell grew up in Florida but moved to Knoxville and attended her last three years of high school there. From Knoxville, she went to college at Tennessee Tech University where she got her bachelor’s degree in secondary education . Currently she is in school working towards a masters of arts in curriculum and instruction. She will be graduating on august 11th of this year! Since the 5th grade she had a majorette in baton twirling .She also twirled at tech for five years.” Why did you want to become a teacher?” we asked. Ms. Campbell replied,” because I really like helping people learn, I like learning myself and the content.” When asked, “ When did you decide you wanted to teach?” She answered, “In middle school.”

Last but not least we interviewed Ms. Phillips. Ms. Phillips went to Cookeville High School , and played basketball during her four years as a Cavalier. In all four years at CHS Ms. Phillips never missed a football game, home or away, she even went to a game in Memphis “ We were hardcore fans,” she said Ms Phillips also coached the girls’ freshman basketball team while studying at college, though sadly she’s not doing it this year. She also went to Tennessee Tech for four years and graduated with a secondary education English degree. During her years at CHS Ms. Phillips had Mrs. Rebecca Payne and Mrs. Johnson. “They were both wonderful teachers,” she said. We asked her old she was when she knew she wanted to become a teacher. “I was 17 years old when I started thinking ,Yeah! I could do that!” Mrs. Phillips recalled when asked about her satisfaction she replied, “I love it! I could not have picked a better career.” It seems like most of CHS’s teachers are loving teaching here!