There are many new teachers starting out at Technology High School this year. A few of them are juggling multiple classes and some of them are teaching part-time classes with another teacher. Although they are new, they easily fit into the Tech High community.
One of these teachers is Elizabeth Bjorklund, who teaches Environmental Sustainability and Freshman Essentials. She previously taught for 10 years at Hanna Center, where she taught Biology. Before she started her career as a teacher, Bjorklund studied Animal Science and has wanted to teach that subject since. She enjoys teaching freshman classes because she and the students are both new to the school. She also loves teaching Environmental Sustainability because of its connection to her other interests.
There are two new Chemistry teachers, Mick O’Meara and Rob Lee. Even though they are both retired, they share the job of teaching the juniors Chemistry. They each split units and switch off teaching. Although O’Meara is new to Tech High, he has had a lot of experience teaching different sciences for 30 years. The setup of two teachers sharing classes may seem complicated to some people, but it is the ideal solution for both of them.
Matthew Valci teaches Geometry, Algebra 2, and Yearbook here. When Valci was in school, he majored in Biochemistry and wanted to go down the medical path. He tried out different things, discovering that teaching best suited him. Before coming here, he taught Math at Petaluma High School and Windsor Christian Academy, where he taught many different subjects. After teaching at these schools, Valci finally came to Technology High School, where he is now.
Upon moving from San Francisco, Larry Mylander started teaching high school in Rohnert Park. He attended college in Boston, earning his master’s in History. He taught History to middle schoolers at Madison Park in Oakland, but when he moved here, he realized that teaching high school better suited him. He currently teaches World History to sophomores and United States History to juniors.
A new class at Tech High is Art, which is taught by Dana Dillworth. She loves teaching and has experience teaching in San Mateo and Halfmoon Bay. Dillworth had retired from teaching but decided to pick up art at Tech High to be closer to her family. While in college at the San Francisco Art Institute, she was interested in printmaking and was part of a television station outside of school. At Tech High, she teaches Art to all grade levels.
Jumping back and forth between Rancho and Tech High, Scott Higgins teaches AP Physics. Higgins went to Colorado School of Mines for college, where he focused on science and engineering. Before teaching, he went to Egypt, where he was a geophysical technician and land surveyor, and also worked in Tanzania, North Yemen, Jordan, Syria, and Poland. While he was in Poland, he also had a jewelry business. He taught in many places like Chico, Fresno, and around China, and he has had a lot of experience in education.
Even with all of the new teachers, the staff at Tech High still have a strong sense of community and friendship with each other. Many people with different experiences and teaching styles come together to make Tech High better.
