The road not taken: Aaron Bashirian, rock star gone teacher
Peyton Gaskill, Staff Writer
May 13, 2019
When West’s newest social studies teacher, Aaron Bashirian, graduated from college and got his degree in history, it would be almost two decades before he got to use it. Instead, Bashirian pursued his passion for music. “When I was 16, I went to a Motley Crue concert, and that changed my life,...
Growing through Greek: seniors Nell Jaskowiak and Deirdre Jost gain valuable life skills through independent study
Brinda Ambal, Staff Writer
April 2, 2019
The hallway is silent and still except for the occasional wanderer in search of the water fountain. A second glance finds seniors Nell Jaskowiak and Deirdre Jost settled on the floor by the Latin room. Jaskowiak and Jost chose to take Greek as an independent study with Latin teacher Tom Herpel to...
Hóla oportunidades: Lauren Bernstein pursues her new passion for sales
Maria Newton, Features Editor
February 22, 2019
After 14 years of educating, Spanish teacher Lauren Bernstein is leaving the field to pursue her new-found passion in SeneGence makeup and skincare sales. She started selling products for the company in April 2017 to fund her own cosmetics buying habit. “I had absolutely no idea I would even be ...
Can you guess the teacher from their starter pack?
Dani Fischer, Staff Writer
March 8, 2018
We love our teachers, and to show them how much we admire them we commemorated them in starter pack-form. We gathered images that represent each person, as well as quotes, and put them in a quiz for all of you to play and enjoy. Good luck! (function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src='//embed.playbuzz.com/sdk.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,'script','playbuzz-sdk')); ...
Getting to know American Sign Language teacher Tiffani Symons
Gabby Leon, Staff Writer
February 23, 2018
Pathfinder: What got you interested in teaching? Symons: “I wanted to be a teacher since I was in high school. I realized I wanted to teach deaf and hard of hearing students, so I became a teacher for deaf and hard of hearing [students] and have been for 17 years. This opportunity to teach all ...
Getting to know math and Personal Finance teacher Andrea Horn
Gabby Leon, Staff Writer
January 9, 2018
What got you interested in teaching? “I can’t say there was anything in particular. I played teacher/school as a kid. I think it was just always a passion and dream of mine.” What class(es) do you teach? “Geometry A and Personal Finance.” Is this your first year teaching? “...
Getting to know French teacher Blair Hopkins
Gabby Leon, Staff Writer
January 8, 2018
Pathfinder: What is your job? Hopkins: “I am a part-time French teacher. I do French I and French II, so I am here in the morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.” What got you interested in teaching French? “I have always really loved French, and I lived in Paris for four years. I moved to St. Lou...
Getting to know Technology and Engineering teacher Chris Donaldson
Gabby Leon, Staff Writer
December 20, 2017
Pathfinder: What got you interested in teaching? Donaldson: "I had a few stand-out teachers in high school and college. What struck me is how they were able to take complex concepts, break them down into smaller, more manageable chunks and help students learn in a variety of ways." What class(es)...
Getting to know Special Education teacher Nicole Sneed
Gabby Leon, Staff Writer
December 14, 2017
What is your job? What do you do? “I am a special education teacher. I help students learn by evaluating their current ability, creating and implementing appropriate interventions and providing accommodations and modifications to the curriculum.” Is this your first time doing this? “I was a spec...
English teacher Taylor Rose returns to West
Gabby Leon, Staff Writer
November 29, 2017
Pathfinder: What got you interested in teaching? Rose: “I have always wanted to be a teacher, as so many empowering women in my family have served as teachers. From playing school with my cousins as a child to working in various educational experiences in the community, I knew that I wanted to d...
