by Maximum Mills

Starting in a new school means meeting new people, new routines, and new ways of doing things. For Scott High School’s newest teachers, adjusting to this has meant getting to know the students, fellow teachers, and the environment they now work in.

“I think they are incredibly hardworking and great students, and I love working with them”
James McChesney, the new band director said, talking about his experience with the students.

Adjusting to a new school doesn’t just mean getting to know students. New teachers also must
meet their fellow coworkers to create a good working environment.

“I think they have been very welcoming, I think I’ve already made some good friends, and I
hope to continue getting to know them” McChesney said, when asked about his opinion on the
other faculty.

While feeling welcomed by your peers and students can make the transition a whole lot easier,
new teachers still must adjust to the differences between the schools they previously worked at
worked at and Scott, or especially if they’re new to teaching in general.

“School is quite a bit different than what it was when I was last in school…every student having a
computer attached to their hip something for me to get used to,” Art teacher Phillip Cash said.

Technology isn’t the only difference to schools Cash has had to adjust to since returning to Scott
as a teacher. He has also noticed how the student-to-teacher dynamic has changed, how students
become almost friends with their teachers rather than seeing them as a purely authoritative
figure.

“There’s a lot more relationship building between teachers and students than there was when I
was a kid,” Cash said. “I think that that’s a good thing that we’ve gotten to this spot.”

For other new teachers, the adjustment has been less about direct changes to the classroom like
the students themselves but more about the change in systems, such as different apps and
websites.

“They use a lot of different systems, like learning management systems, that I haven’t used
before when I was at Lincoln County. So just adapting to those, I had to kind of figure them out.
But I’m getting there,” math teacher Natalie Fout said.

While each teacher has faced many different challenges while getting adjusted to our school, the
changes have not stopped them from finding things they enjoy about their new school.

“I love it so far. A lot of school spirit, very community-based, definitely more so than the places
I’ve been before. I enjoy doing the activities that you guys have here, going to the sports events.
It’s really fun,” Fout said.