Meet the new teachers of NHS – 2022

Math

Alex Kukushkin

1. What is your favorite thing about teaching? Learning things from teenagers 
2. How does NHS compare to any past experience? Honestly, it is too early to tell. I am sure it will be an awesome experience. 
3. How long have you been teaching? I am starting my 20^th year. 
4. What do you think is the most important characteristic of a good teacher? Empathy and subject knowledge 
5. What are some interesting things you did this summer? I worked for College Board grading AP Calculus free response questions, worked for FL DOE to help validate test questions for teacher certification exam, and traveled to Dominican Republic for vacation. 
6. What are some of your hobbies? Concerts, travel, playing the guitar (when I am not lazy)
7. What is your hometown? I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia. 
8. Why did you choose to teach at NHS? I think it is a good place to work at. I almost had an opportunity to accept a position here about 6-7 years ago, but it did not happen for a couple of reasons at the time. Glad to be here now

English

Dexter Rogers

1. What is your favorite thing about teaching? Getting to know all the students and trying to figure out what I can do to help them become better students and better people. 
2. How does NHS compare to any past experience? I’ve only been here for a week so I can’t fully answer this question.
3. How long have you been teaching? I’ve been teaching for 24 years. 
4. What do you think is the most important characteristic of a good teacher? The most important characteristics of a good teacher are patience, perseverance and flexibility.
5. What are some interesting things you did this summer? I went to San Diego, California for a month this summer for a month and I went to Tulsa, Oklahoma to coach in the USA Championships and we won the Gold Medal.
6. What are some of your hobbies? My hobbies are coaching volleyball and traveling.
7. What are your favorite books? My favorite books are all the novels from John Grisham.
8. What is your hometown? I was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. 
9. Why did you choose to teach at NHS? I chose to teach at NHS because it’s close to home and it has a long standing reputation of being a great school.

IBI

Natalie Ellsworth

1. What is your favorite thing about teaching? I enjoy seeing the light in a student’s eye as they finally learn a new/difficult concept for them!

2. How does NHS compare to any past experience? My past experience has been in elementary school.  The high school life is very different and so far I am enjoying every part of it.

3. How long have you been teaching? 10 years

4. What do you think is the most important characteristic of a good teacher? I think the most important characteristics of a good teacher are patience and determination. Patience to understand why something is happening with a student and determination to help a student figure out how to succeed. 

5. What are some interesting things you did this summer? I go camping every summer, I traveled across country twice this summer, and I visited the new US Bank stadium!

6. What are some of your hobbies? Camping, gardening, and cooking

7. What is your hometown? Flint, MI

8. Why did you choose to teach at NHS? I have been wanting to switch over to High School level for a while and I heard all about the wonderful things that the NHS transitional program was doing here.

Band

Steven McGuire

1. What is your favorite thing about teaching? My favorite thing about teaching is watching the students improve and working towards the same goal. Watching them all get it at different times is fun, if anything it’s the best part.

2. How long have you been teaching? This is the start of my sixth year. I worked at Gulf Coast High School for five years after I graduated college.

3. What do you think is the most important characteristic of a good teacher? The most important characteristic of a good teacher is creating an environment where students feel comfortable enough to try and fail and try again.

4. What are some of your hobbies? I like to cook and bake while I’m hanging out with my family.

5. Do you play any instruments, if so, which ones? When you go to school for music you learn them all, so I know how to play every instrument I teach to my students.

6. What is your favorite type of music? It depends on the day, but I listen to choral music, full orchestral, classical, wind ensemble, drum corps, and every once in a while 90s pop princess music.

Guidance Counselor

Elizabeth Lanning

1. What is your favorite thing about working in education? My favorite thing about working in education is working with students and helping them be successful.

2. How does NHS compare to any past experience? It’s actually very similar. I was a counselor in the state of Hawaii and it’s very similar to that school. I was also a counselor in a California high school district, and it’s different from that school because I worked primarily with adults in that setting. Now I’m working only with high school students.

3. What do you think is the most important characteristic of a good educator? I think a good educator needs to have good listening skills. They need to be empathetic and really need enjoy working with their students. 4. What are some interesting things you did this summer? I moved from California to here. We had a trip to Italy planned, but because I got this job, we canceled that for next year. So next year, I’ll have something fun.

5. What are some of your hobbies? I love to paddle board and I love to swim. I’m very active. I work out in the gym. I run every day. I either walk or run. And I enjoy water skiing. And I like warm weather stuff.

6. What is your hometown? My hometown is Los Gatos, California.

7. Why did you choose to work at NHS? I wanted to be in a high school setting when we moved here to Florida. And NHS was hiring. And I figured I applied for the job because I wanted to work in a high school setting and I got the job.

Science

Karaline Remington

1. What is your favorite thing about teaching? Seeing the lightbulb go off with the kids

2. How does NHS compare to any past experience? I graduated from Naples. I taught at Naples High, so it’s kind of like a full circle.

3. How long have you been teaching? This will be my fourth year.

4. What do you think is the most important characteristic of a good teacher? Being understanding and compassionate to the students and helping them grow and learn

5. What are some interesting things you did this summer? I went boating and fishing. I have two horses, so I rode my horses a lot.

6. What are some of your hobbies? Probably the same as the last question: horseback riding, boating, and fishing 

7. What is your hometown? Naples, FL

8. Why did you choose to teach at NHS? Because I love Naples High. I went here.

Science

Gina Carriere 

1. What is your favorite thing about teaching? The students

2. How does NHS compare to any past experience? I find it very positive and rewarding, and I am enjoying it very much.

3. How long have you been teaching? 10 years

4. What do you think is the most important characteristic of a good teacher? Understanding the students

5. What are some interesting things you did this summer? I went to the beach.

6. What are some of your hobbies? I like to swim, walk, read, and cook.

7. What is your hometown? Paragon, Michigan 

8. Why did you choose to teach at NHS? I wanted to specifically hone in on the curriculum that I like.

Pre-K Assistant

Morgan Westphal

1. What is your favorite thing about teaching? I like working with the preschoolers in this program when they get here.

2. How does NHS compare to any past experience? I just graduated from here. I love it, this is the best school.

3. How long have you been teaching? This is my first year teaching.

4. What do you think is the most important characteristic of a good teacher? Somebody who is caring and very outgoing, or one of those 

5. What are some interesting things you did this summer? I went on vacation. I started college, started this job, and I’m going to college at FAU.

7. What is your hometown? Naples

8. Why did you choose to teach at NHS? This is the program I want to teach in and I love it here.