Teacher Spotlight: Mr. LaFond
Masks on. Hallways empty. Schools silent. In our new environment, where faces are no longer distinguishable and social distancing is imperative, the connection between teachers and students is compromised.
Mr. Daniel LaFond, a 10th and 11th grade English teacher, had been in isolation at his teacher desk while the students remained secluded at home. When time allowed, he settled in for his class meeting with energy over the roof, his voice echoed through his laptop.
Photo by Anna Thompson
Before becoming a teacher, Mr. LaFond was a high school student at SJHS. He had the fortuity to be taught by a number of his current colleagues, which he says he enjoys. After graduating high school, Mr. LaFond faced two failing semesters at Western Michigan University. Very quickly he realized he had no interest in the business world. Looking back in middle school, Mr. LaFond enjoyed his English classes and decided to pursue a similar path.
In Tennessee where Mr. Lafond eventually taught, he coached a girls rugby team that transformed his perspective on coaching and women’s athletics. He assumed coaching football was his intent, but his ideas quickly changed after meeting the girls.
“The young women on my rugby team were ten times tougher, hardworking, and dedicated than any football player I had coached,” Mr. LaFond said.
In Mr. LaFond’s brief, recent year at SJHS, he had the opportunity to teach in a moderately new environment, though he preserves his fond memories of Tennessee through the change. Despite Mr. Lafond’s difficulties comparing his first year years here, he had experienced some of the predominantly finest writing from the class of 2023.
“There are a lot of big personalities in the class of 2023,” Mr. LaFond said, “Many hardworking students, and a handful of goofballs that remind me of myself as a sophomore.”
Distinctively at variance from his years in high school, Mr. LaFond has expressed his recognition of the fortunate circumstances of our district. Although congregating through screens isn’t optimal, Mr. LaFond holds gratitude for the capability of seeing a number of students each day. Regardless of the disengagement and lack of persona, the learning continues, and Mr. LaFond is pleased to be a part of it.