HOMECOMING: Poly welcomes its newest staff member, Mr. Anthony School, back to the Bear Family as he begins his teaching career.
By Ashley Gore, Features Editor
Many students here on campus cannot wait to break free from their hometown and move on to new adventures. They long for the day they can spread their proverbial wings and soar beyond Poly’s concrete halls and famous brick walls. But once they leave, Riverside has a way of reaching out and calling them back. While he may not be a teenager or an alumnus, Mr. Anthony School has long been a familiar face to many students and staff here at Poly and recently heard that call to find his way back home.
Before returning to Poly to begin his teaching career, School took a teaching opportunity in Northern California. He loved the experience of leading his own classroom, but he “missed home.” Two months into the school year, Mr. Michael Gull’s departure opened up a full-time teaching position in Honors U.S. History, and School’s name topped the list of candidates. He jumped at the opportunity to return to Poly to work among his beloved colleagues once again. “This job not only allowed me to return to Poly, but to return to my friends and family as well,” School admitted.
Since his homecoming, School has once again fit seamlessly into Poly’s culture. “Poly has a rich history, and I feel the P.R.I.D.E. that is stressed throughout campus,” School said.
Now that School has returned home, he does not plan to leave anytime soon. “I hope to retire at Poly if everything goes right! Unless everything completely crumbles around here or my life takes me in a different direction, I see myself being here an extremely long time,” School said.
As for the rest of this school year, he hopes to “hone and refine” his craft. He plans to constantly push himself to become a better teacher. So far, he has shown his ability to adapt to student needs through modifying materials and creating new activities, but he knows the quest to reach his full potential will come with its fair share of stumbling blocks. “The one thing I want all my students to know is that I care but that I will make mistakes just like all humans do. As I grow as a teacher, I want to limit those mistakes and learn from them,” School explained.
He may have taken the scenic route, but Poly welcomes School back to school with open arms and cannot wait to witness his future accomplishments and successes. “As much as some students complain, Poly truly is a big family where accomplishments are celebrated and students have many opportunities to make differences in their lives and others’,” School said.