Over the course of the summer Westborough High School’s English Department gained a new teacher: Jessica Conrad. Ms. Conrad is a first-year English and Journalism teacher who recently graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor’s degree in English and History, as well as her Masters in Secondary Education.
Ms. Conrad did not always know that she wanted to be a teacher. In fact, it was not until she entered college that she realized her interests and skill set would fit the teaching profession. After taking part in a teaching program at UNH, Ms. Conrad knew she could see a future in the classroom.
“I realized that I really liked talking and interacting with people and sharing my ideas. I thought teaching would be a good fit,” says Ms. Conrad.
Entering a new school system as a first-year teacher is no easy task. Despite that, Ms. Conrad expressed her gratitude towards the WHS community.
Ms. Conrad adds, “On my new teacher workshop days, everyone was really friendly and open in terms of staff. People were coming out of their way to say hi to me and meet me and make sure I was feeling comfortable.”
She shared that the students have been incredibly responsive. As she had learned through interning in college, working with older kids allows for deeper, more meaningful conversations and interactions. Conrad feels that she has already begun the formation of an understanding and engaging classroom environment.
After having student-taught in different schools, Ms. Conrad is excited to see the more fun aspects of the WHS community. With events such as homecoming and spirit week, she is interested to know how the student body celebrates these events.
Being a new teacher comes with stress, too. As somebody who prioritizes a positive classroom environment, Ms. Conrad does admit that it can be nerve-wracking not knowing whether or not the students are connecting with you as she is still finding what works best for everyone.
“I think whether you’re a new teacher or not, the beginning of a school year is always a little bit of a challenge with getting to know the students and finding out what works best for everybody,” comments Ms. Conrad.
In addition to becoming an English teacher, Ms. Conrad has also become an advisor of the Lobby Observer.
When asked what her hopes are for the Lobby-O this year she shared, “I definitely feel like everything looks really good so far. You guys have an awesome set of people on the staff, and kids seem to be engaging well with it. My goal is to increase the amount of kids that we can reach.”
The importance of utilizing social media platforms to reach a larger audience was also stressed by Ms. Conrad, as was the importance of keeping journalism students and Lobby-O club members engaged in the paper’s operation.
When not in the classroom, Ms. Conrad can be seen spending time with her dog, Bailey, reading and writing, or listening to Taylor Swift.
She also hopes to continue her passion for dance in the upcoming years. “I grew up dancing, at UNH I was part of the dance company, and I’m hoping to find ways to engage with dance and teach dance in the area,” Conrad noted.
There is no doubt that Ms. Conrad has a lot of excitement and positivity to bring to the WHS community, as she is looking forward to an excellent year ahead.
