Photos by Amy Ramos/Staff
Story by Priscilla Rodarte
Assistant Editor
Five new teachers, including two Bishop Amat alumni, went through their first weeks of school as members of the Lancer faculty.
Ms. Melissa Rabaya, who graduated from Amat in 2004, is a long-term English sub for Mrs. Jackie Rogers and Mrs. Courtney Leeman.
She said it’s awkward being on the other side of the teaching podium.
“It’s different to see my old teachers around. It’s a weird transition,” she said. “I’ve taught before at Downey, but it is really different to see how the rules are more enforced here.”
Ms. Rabaya joins Mr. Matthew Nasont and Ms. Kristen Maisano as members of the class of 2004 teaching at Amat.
Ms. Cindy Medina, a 2006 alum, joined the foreign languages department to teach Spanish I. She agreed that it is awkward teaching here.
“It’s weird to call old teachers by their first names, but I’m excited to be back,” said Ms. Medina. “It feels like home.”
She graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Spanish and theology.
Not all of the teachers are alums, however.
New science teacher, Mrs. Cathy Fitzsimons, has been teaching for 18 years. She taught one of Amat’s current teachers, Mr. Brandon Ertle, when she was at St. Paul.
Mrs. Fitzsimons teaches anatomy, Honors Biology, and physiology. When she first started teaching in the 1990s, she was first hired to be an art teacher but made her way over to the sciences.
Another experienced teacher, Dr. John Carter has been teaching since 2002 at the college level. He always wanted to teach and applied to Amat because it is a Catholic school and because his wife and her family are alumni.
“I am excited to meet the students and having the opportunity to go to mass and the games,” he said. “I am also excited to discuss the ideas of physics and math.”
Trevor Riggs, the new biology teacher, is a first-time teacher, and friend of Mr. Nasont. He graduated from the University of La Verne and said he planned on being a teacher from the start.
“When I first stepped on the school, I liked the campus, even though I thought it was very small,” he said.
Mr. Riggs described the first day as being hectic and not being able to get much done.
Teachers, both brand new ones and more experienced ones, have similar expectations for their students.
“I expect the freshmen to be quiet, but I don’t want them to be nervous,” Medina said.
