St. Joseph's alumni, Mrs. Isabella, Mr. Hind, and Mrs. Nalkranian, are teachers at the school they once attended as students. Photo by: Angelina L.
This year, St. Joseph’s is celebrating its 30th anniversary. During these thirty years, students have come and gone, and some have even returned as teachers. Mrs. Nalkranian, Mrs. Isabella, and Mr. Hind are St. Joe’s alumni who are back to share their experiences and values with a new generation of Lasers.
MRS. NALKRANIAN
If you find yourself sitting at a computer creating a survey about Freud’s psychoanalytic theories, you’re most likely in Mrs. Nalkranian’s class. As a St. Joe’s Laser herself, Nalkranian got her work done–but did procrastinate. She was also usually late to class, to a point where her English teacher would lock her out of the classroom. Surprisingly enough, Mrs. Nalkranian’s best class was English (as well as Geography).
What Nalkranian liked best about high school was the sense of family. Her grade was the second graduating class of the new St. Joe’s. There were few students in her grade, which established a strong bond between everyone in it. She established friendships that lasted for a long time; some that still exist today.
Mrs. Nalkranian graduated from St. Joseph’s in 1995, and then went on to University for political science. Throughout the years, she shifted to the Social Sciences. She graduated with degrees in Sociology and Geography, and now teaches those two subjects today.
Mrs. Nalkranian holds the St. Joseph’s 3 R’s (Respect, Responsibility and Relationships) near and dear to her heart in her teaching and as a mom. “The 3 R’s were a huge foundation on what helped shape me into who I am today,” she said.
MRS. ISABELLA
Mrs. Isabella can usually be seen dressed as a judge or in a stylish business outfit. She is a Law and social science teacher.
As a student, Mrs. Isabella was involved. She was a good student, and was involved in Student Council and Campus Ministry. Her best classes were History and, of course, Law. Her worst class was Math, and she often jokes that anything math-related was just not for her.
Mrs. Isabella graduated in 1995, and then went to university for Sociology and French. She left with a Bachelor of Arts, Junior French, and Senior Social Sciences and Humanities; all within Education. This meant that she was able to pursue her passion for teaching.
Mrs. Isabella is a social person. In her years as a St. Joe’s student, she was involved in many groups, and loved passing notes to her friends during class time behind the teacher’s back. She loved doing presentations and getting others involved in class discussions.
Mrs. Isabella remembers the strong school spirit back when she was in highschool. The pep rallies and assemblies were always energetic, and school teams were strongly celebrated. “The spirit of St. Joseph’s was electrifying,” she bragged. Community and oneness was a vital emotion felt within the St. Joseph’s community.
The 3 R’s of the school were drilled into Mrs. Isabella’s everyday life. She continues to value and share them with her family.
MR. HIND
Mr. Hind is hard to miss in a big crowd and he amazes students with his deep philosophical thinking. He currently teaches philosophy, religion, English, and History at St. Joseph’s. His passion for these subjects is obvious, and can often spark lively debates or intense discussions during his class.
Mr. Hind graduated St. Joseph’s in 1997, and went to university for History, his favourite subject. After university and accumulating some teachables, Mr. Hind became a teacher.
When asked about his most memorable time in high school, Mr. Hind laughed and answered, “I was in grade 10, doing a grade 11 Civics project. We had some questions about the project, so my partner and I decided to be brave enough to show up at our history teacher’s house to ask the questions. He was riled up at us when he answered because we were interrupting the hockey game.”
In school, Mr. Hind was a good student, although he believes that he could have put more effort into his studies.
Mr. Hind felt a strong sense of family when he was in highschool. “It seemed like when summer break came around, we felt that we were saying goodbye to a part of ourselves that felt like family,” he explained.
It is not surprising that these three teachers graduated from St. Joseph’s as they truly embody the 3 R’s that this school works so hard to develop in its students. They set a great example to students and staff alike, and everyone at St. Joe’s is thankful to have such passionate and caring teachers.