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MC’s new teachers embrace the Sundevil way

MC’s family got just a little bit bigger this year with the addition of several new teachers to the staff.  Rorye McFadden, Don Sheffler, Christine Modjahedpour, and Julia Spruil-Smith are the new Sundevil teaching staff that are excited to be here.

I’m excited for the kids, I know we are still in the honeymoon stage but the kids are great, and also for academic league because those kids are amazing, and just to experience the Sundevil way.”  McFadden said.

Coming to work for MC was always a goal for McFadden, new U.S. History teacher.

“I grew up in PQ and [started teaching] at Westview, and my mom has been teaching at RB high school for 25 years so I’m pretty familiar with PUSD,” McFadden said. “I was supposed to go to MC but I went to RB. It was a goal of mine to come work at PUSD.”

Photography teacher Don Sheffler | Photo Credit Kristine Pham

Some had different circumstances that led them to MC, such as Sheffler, the new photography teacher, who came because it was a fantastic opportunity.

“I’m a graduate here, 1981, and my kids have gone or are going here, so I’ve been coming here to photograph football games and other sports for seven or eight years now,” Sheffler said. “Through that, I got to know (Jaffe) and he is who alerted me this job was going to open up.”

Coming to a new school, these teachers have unique challenges they will each have to face.

“I feel like being a new younger teacher is always tough,” McFadden said. “They relate better to you which is good, but they also think of you more as a friend and that’s rough. So it’s hard to draw a line between being a leader and being a peer. But also just dealing with classroom maintenance and curriculum. Curriculum is tough for the first couple years just trying to get your content down so that you’re really comfortable up there and you know it like the back of your hand, which many of the veteran teachers have it.”

Sheffler anticipates having some similar problems, but is confident in his ability to adapt to them.

“As a sub I didn’t have anything to do with setting curriculum or the grading scale and applying them to state standards,” Sheffler said. “So for me it’s understanding that and all and understanding how to set and use rubrics, something I never had to do before.”

However, meeting these challenges is what makes teaching at MC so exciting. These new staff members are more than happy to be here and engage with the students.

Profe Modjahedpour | Photo Credit Kristine Pham

“I was so amazed by the awesome pep rally last friday, the level of school spirit here and the sense of unity was really awe inspiring,” Modjahedpour said.

Embracing the Sundevil way is exactly what the point of being at MC is.

“I love the school, I love teaching, and I love photography,” Scheffler said. “To me, I’m just excited about putting all those together. I’ve always been a Sundevil, I’m still a Sundevil, and the Sundevil way is my way, so I’m super stoked to be here.”

Written by Kyle Daly

Senior and the Sun's Sports Editor, Kyle Daly is active on campus as Captain of the Water Polo team and Sundevil Ambassador.

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