By Sarah MacDonald, ’23

Staff Writer

How long has Ms. Doyle been a teacher at HHS? Ms. Doyle is in her fifth year.

What is Ms. Doyle’s  favorite part of teaching at HHS? Her favorite part of teaching at HHS is the people and the students. 

Where did Ms. Doyle go to college? Needless to say, Ms. Doyle is a smartie pants. She graduated from Bridgewater State University in 2010 with her bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in secondary education. She earned her master’s degree in physical sciences (MAT), and is currently finishing ANOTHER master’s in English at Bridgewater State University. 

If Ms. Doyle was not an English teacher what else would she want to teach? If Ms. Doyle was not an awesome English teacher, she would like to be the librarian. 

Who is Ms. Doyle’s  favorite Disney Princess? And why? Ms. Doyle loves Belle from Beauty and the Beast because she is a reader, is nice to the beast and sees potential in everybody. (Note: Ms. Doyle wanted to choose the 101 Dalmations but I made her pick a princess). 

What inspiring words would you like to give to someone at HHS? “Never be afraid to be yourself. Your vulnerability, authenticity, and individuality have the power to inspire others to be themselves too.”

What is Ms. Doyle’s proudest achievement? Being an English teacher, which was her dream since 7th grade, and seeing her name on a classroom door

What is Ms. Doyle’s favorite book? The Mill on the Floss by George Elliot 

How would Ms. Doyle describe herself in three words? Quirky, compassionate,  lifelong-learner

What is Ms. Doyle’s favorite thing to do on the weekends? Snuggle with her one-eyed cat named Sasha

If Ms. Doyle was given a plane ticket to anywhere in the world, where would she go? Austria

What is a fun fact that no one knows about Ms. Doyle? She is a world traveler, to say the least, having been to France, Germany, Ireland, UK (Scotland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland), Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Canada 

If Ms.Doyle was not a teacher what else would you be doing? She would be a travel blogger! 

Who is someone Ms. Doyle looks up to and why?  “I admire anyone who brings love and kindness to the lives of others and who makes people feel comfortable being themselves.”

Does Ms. Doyle have any special talents? She is a talented gal who has never lost a donut-on-a-string contest. 

Any last words? “Every pizza can be a personal pizza if you try hard enough and believe in yourself.”

Next time you see Ms. Doyle, give her a high five and a thumbs up for being so awesome!

By Abby Van Duyn, ’24

Staff Writer

Mr. Wheeler is a 6th grade Math and Social Studies teacher at Hanover Middle School who has been teaching for 21 years. When he was in school, Mr. Wheeler saw how important teachers could be in the lives of students. He chose this career because he wanted to be the type of teacher that inspired students to do and be their best. 

“When I went through school, I felt that many teachers just went through the motions and did not take advantage of the opportunity to be a positive role model for their students,” he said. “I felt if I became a teacher, I could be a positive role model for students and motivate them to work hard at any type of goals.”

Mr. Wheeler’s inspiration also stemmed from a positive experience with one of his teachers named John Hopkins, a longtime Hanover English teacher who retired just a few years ago. “He was so passionate about teaching and he was great at making connections with students,” Mr. Wheeler explained.

Mr. Wheeler is famous at HMS for having a strong and unified homeroom and for bringing all of his students together throughout the year. Being part of “Wheeler Nation” is a special experience where everyone is inspired and connected. For students who are lucky enough to go to Camp Squanto as a part of Mr. Wheeler’s homeroom, it’s often a highlight of their four years at HMS.

“Some of my favorite memories about teaching are setting high expectations for my students and seeing them reach those goals later on in the year,” he said. He also loves “witnessing my homeroom students work together and come together like a big family.”

Mr. Wheeler has not always taught 6th grade in Hanover. In his earlier years, he taught one year in Hingham as well as the 5th grade at HMS. In addition, he started out as an English teacher in his first year at HMS and then switched to teaching Math.

Throughout his years of teaching 6th grade, he has grown to love the age of the students. 

“They are still young enough that you can still spark the majority of the students to be invested in their education and have them engaged in whatever crazy lessons I have planned,” he said. “In addition, they are mature enough to work independently on many things.” 

As we all know, this year has been extra challenging for teachers and students because of Covid-19.  When asked how it impacted him, Mr. Wheeler said, “With the start of COVID, I have learned more about technology in one year than I had in the previous five years.” He’s also had to modify many of his projects. 

Although it might seem that Mr. Wheeler is always working on plans for his students, he has a life and family outside of school too. When the school day is over, Mr. Wheeler enjoys playing basketball and skiing.  He describes himself as a big sports fan and enjoys doing anything outside and taking vacations with his family.

Featured image: https://wasatch.provo.edu/we-really-think-youre-grand-chris-fuhriman-spotlight/

By Ashley Stracco, ’24

Staff Writer

If you had known Mrs. Hughes as the HMS assistant principal, you might have been surprised to see her in a classroom this year at HHS. But Mrs. Hughes has returned to teaching English, a subject she has loved since her own time in high school.  

As an English teacher to freshmen, sophomores and juniors, Mrs. Hughes teaches many different pieces of literature to her students. Her favorite book to teach is “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, a collection of stories about soldiers in the Vietnam War. She loves how the stories can connect to people in subtle ways and how the author describes how we all live through stories. However, she does not have a favorite book to read herself. She says that would be like choosing a favorite child!

While Mrs. Hughes does not have a favorite book, she does have a favorite TV show and favorite place to travel. She really enjoys the improv comedy show “Whose Line Is It Anyway.” Her favorite place to travel is Poland. She has a 13-year-old son.

Mrs. Hughes wanted to become a teacher after she took an education class at Brandeis University and found it instantly interesting. She loved her foreign language and English classes in high school. She says her teachers were both challenging and fun. 

In a year many students and teachers have found challenging, Mrs. Hughes says her students have had a great impact on her. One of her favorite moments this year was seeing a student who was extremely shy overcome her fear of public speaking and give one of the best student speeches that she has ever seen. Another was coming back to school after being very ill for a few weeks; one of her classes made her a giant card with all of their names and many get-well messages. She still has the card!

By Ashley Stracco, ’24

Staff Writer

Ms. Shayle Emerson teaches college prep Biology, Marine Biology, and honors Anatomy and Physiology at Hanover High School. Her favorite class to teach is Marine Biology because she loves to take students on field trips to explore the beaches and to see the aquarium in Boston. You can find her in room 215!

Born in Salem, NH, Ms. Emerson graduated from the University of New Hampshire. She played intramural sports including field hockey. One summer, she was able to take a scientific diver course at the Isle of Shoals for two weeks, and it was an amazing experience.  She became a teacher because she wanted to teach students about the ocean and the animals that live in it.

Her favorite television show is currently “WandaVision,” but she also likes to watch YouTube. Her favorite book is The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger, a true story about a swordfishing boat that gets trapped in the storm of the century.

Ms. Emerson’s favorite memory from high school is playing the trumpet in the band because it was huge and she had a lot of friends in it. They participated in many marching competitions, and tons of parades. Her band marched in the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, and also went to Disney!

She loves to travel, and has been to Paris and, recently, the Dominican Republic. She also visits Anchorage, Alaska, frequently because her twin sister lives there. She has three daughters, ages 11, 8, and 3.

In February 2020, Ms. Emerson launched a school trip to the Dominican Republic – and she’ll be doing it again next year! On the trip, students work with local organizations to clean beaches and restore coral reef. Each day begins around 7am, and you will not go to bed until after 11pm. The people in the DR were very kind and caring and the country was perfectly safe, she said. There is music playing everywhere you go there. It was an amazing experience, so stop by to see her or send her an email if you’d like to learn more.

By Natalie Mowbray, ’22

Staff Writer

Mrs. Kelly Stukenborg has been Hanover High School’s assistant principal since October 2018. Whether they’re sent to her office or see her in the halls, students know they will be greeted by a compassionate person who clearly takes pride in our school.

Where did you grow up and attend college? 

I grew up in Weymouth, where I currently live! After high school, I attended Saint Michaels University in Vermont.

What was your college experience like? 

It was crazy! I was a biology major. Originally, I was on the Pre-Medical track and intended to become a doctor. I was very active in helping my professors with their research or working with local social agencies to help bring about social change in Burlington, Vermont.  While playing college soccer, I broke my back in two places. I had to work really hard in my coursework because I had to take a year off to recover from two surgeries to correct my fractured lower back.  I did it, though, and graduated with my class. 

What inspired you to become a teacher and later an assistant principal?

In my senior year in college, I had to teach a class on the case studies of Hippocrates and Galen (ancient Greeks).  After I taught the class, my advisor told me that I should be a teacher.  She had me teach some biology labs that year and I loved it.  After college, I went right into graduate school to get my master’s degree in biology and education at Northeastern University and then I started teaching in Brockton.  As an educator, I naturally gravitated to leadership roles and in 2006 became a science department head at North Quincy High School.  After that, I went to Weymouth High School where I was a dean for a year and then their Assistant Principal.

What classes did you teach in the past before becoming an assistant principal? I have taught biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, integrated science, and biological anthropology.

Where did you teach before coming to HHS?

 I have taught in Brockton, Quincy, and Weymouth.

What are your hobbies outside of school and what do you/your family do for fun?

I have a husband named Brian, who I met during college. I also have a daughter named Maeve, who is 18 years old, and a son named Shane, who is 16. I play in adult soccer leagues and, during the pandemic, I have taken up needlepoint.

What is your favorite part about teaching/being an assistant principal?  Helping others.

By Norah Kelley, ’24

Staff Writer

For three years, Mr. Collin Fahey has been the technical theater and public speaking teacher at Hanover High, along with directing the HHS musicals and plays. Before Mr. Fahey was a teacher in Hanover, he taught at Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart. He was a part of their teaching fellow program, where he taught intro to drama and honors drama for one year. 

Born in Brockton, Mr. Fahey earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. If he couldn’t be a teacher, he said,  he would be some kind of performer or writer. “Any form of performance, really: stand up comedy; acting onstage or on camera; writing, recording and performing music,” he explained. “I’ve (also) always loved English, reading, coming up with short stories and writing poetry.”

Mr. Fahey has directed seven plays and musicals at Hanover High, but if he had to pick his favorite, he would say it was At the Bottom of Lake Missoula by Ed Monk, presented two years ago for the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild (METG)  Festival. “It was very special, as it was my first play I directed for HHS and it was the first time HHS moved on to the semi-final round in the competition.”

Like many other things this year, the drama program has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The biggest loss for drama this year came with the cancellation of our annual fall musical,” he said. Instead, Mr. Fahey and the Drama Club have had to find creative ways to continue to spread the joy of the arts. They have, through songs and monologues presented virtually with the rest of the performing arts department in the PRISM concert and holiday showcase.

The program is also preparing for this year’s METG Festival. The annual daylong competition, which Hanover High has hosted in recent years, brings schools from around the region to compete in hopes of advancing to a state final. This year, each school’s one-act play will be filmed and submitted. The HHS Drama Club will be performing 4A.M. by Jonathan Dorf, which focuses on different students and what they do and think in the early hours of the morning. 

“Although this year has its challenges, HHS drama is up for the task and excited at the prospects!” Mr. Fahey said. “I’m incredibly proud of the work students have done thus far, and I’m extremely grateful to continue to have the opportunity to create and collaborate here at HHS!”

Mr. Fahey feels a deep connection with the students he works with.  “To all drama students, past and present,” he said. “I appreciate you all so much, don’t be a stranger!”

By Norah Kelley, ’24

Staff Writer

New Year’s Resolutions are easy to make, hard to keep. Some students at Hanover High School had success with their resolutions for 2020, but some did not. Others didn’t even bother making any.

Paige Dillis, junior:

“I don’t remember making a New Year’s resolution last year. I know it is something that many people do, but I actually never ended up having a specific resolution for last year.  I usually try to come up with different areas and things to work on, rather than just having one specific resolution.”

Maeve Higgins, freshman:

“My New Year’s Resolution last year was to eat healthier. I kept it most of the year, but around Halloween and Christmas I did not eat as healthy.”

Ashley Stracco, freshman:

“Last year it was to keep doing well in school, I accomplished it.”

Ray Tschudy, junior:

“My New Year’s resolution was to do my homework, I did it. I kept it because I needed to improve my grades and commit something to myself.”

Sophia Leary, freshman:

“Yes I did for last year, I wanted to travel more, but I didn’t keep it because of COVID.”

Joseph Fortier, senior:

“I did not have one last year and I do not have one this year.”

As we begin 2021, some students felt confident that they were going to keep their resolutions for this year because it will help them achieve their goals. 

Cassie Lopes, sophomore:

“I did not [make a New Year’s resolution last year] and my one for this year is to not procrastinate and I think I’ll keep it because if I stop procrastinating it will greatly reduce my stress.”

Paige Dillis, junior:

“I think it can be beneficial to reflect on everything and think of a few things to work on improving, rather than making one specific resolution.  I have a couple smaller resolutions that I want to focus on and I think organization is something that will help to keep those resolutions.” 

Maeve Higgins, freshman:

“My New Year’s Resolution this year is to workout more. I think I will keep it because I have a friend who loves to workout and she motivates me.”

Ashley Stracco, freshman:

“This year it is to keep on top of school and do well, and to improve at basketball. I think I will do well with both because they both mean a lot to me.”

Ray Tschudy, junior:

“I have a New Year’s resolution to exercise more and believe me, I’m motivated.”

Sophia Leary, freshman:

“This year I also have one, to travel more, and I think it’ll be a lot easier. We know more about COVID, and we have the vaccine coming out.”

 

By Ashley Stracco, ’24

Staff Writer

It’s a question that students and teachers have been debating for years. Is homework helpful, or is it just a pain? I was expecting the students I interviewed to say that it was a pain, but to my surprise, the answers varied widely. Here’s what eight students from Hanover High had to say:

Brody Leibfarth, grade 9

“In some senses it is a pain, but in others probably not. If you understand a concept and don’t need any more help, then it is stupid. But if you don’t understand the concept, then it is helpful.”

Maddie Kapur, grade 9

“I believe that homework is helpful, but only in moderation. Too much homework can cause extreme amounts of unnecessary stress, but too little homework cannot help the student to learn enough. A moderated amount of homework helps the student enough to aid their learning experience without hurting it.”

Brianna Cole, grade 10

“I honestly have mixed opinions about this. Some subjects warrant homework more than others because you need to master the skill. In math homework you need to practice the skills and develop your knowledge so you can continue on your pathway. It is the same thing with Spanish. You have homework so that you can pass. There’s only certain things that you should have homework for. It helps with the development when and if you go to college. It is necessary in most subjects, but not all.”

Daniel Nguyen, grade 10

“There needs to be a balance. … When homework becomes “busy work” to fill in grades or when homework is taking away a student’s entire afternoon because there is a copious amount of it, no one is truly finding the joy in learning anymore and in this case, homework is absolutely pointless. One can argue that the student is still learning, however, is the student happy to learn? Chances are, no they’re not. If you’re a teacher, I assume that you want your students to enter class with the mindset of “What can we learn today?” But when that same student is assigned packets of homework that takes an entire afternoon and evening to complete, I can assure you they’re thinking of “How much homework are we going to have tonight?” the first 30 minutes that they wake up.

Ray Tschudy, grade 11

 “I have different feelings. Homework is a nuisance if you know what you are doing but it should be optional if you don’t already know what you are doing. It should not be mandatory.”

Bella Kelley, grade 11

“While nobody likes homework, it can sometimes be helpful depending on what it is. Like, if your homework is reading in a textbook, that is very important and helpful.”

Sam Wing, grade 12

“I feel like overall we should have homework but not to the extent that we have it now. I think that we get too much now. I think it helps in the sense that helps us out. It helps us on the exams.”

Nathan Vo, grade 12

“I think that it is helpful when it is not clearly busy work.”

It seems like people have mixed feelings about homework. Students may not necessarily enjoy doing it, but acknowledge that it helps them in the long run, as long as the work is not just busy work.