A new asset to the media center, Ms. Makayla Brooks is one of Green Hope’s new hires for the 2024-25 spring semester. Ms. Brooks interned at Duke University Library alongside working a corporate job on NC State’s campus while completing her master’s degree. After completing her internships and degree, she is taking on the role of her first teaching job at Green Hope. “I chose this school because of the focus on academics and student excellence,” Ms. Brooks said. She believed her higher education would benefit her in a high school setting.
Generally speaking, the roles of media center employees are crucial but often overlooked. Ms. Brooks’s position entails an immense amount of communication, connection and collaboration between faculty that is often disregarded in other staff roles. “We work with teachers to provide education and resources on whatever topics they need,” Ms. Brooks shares. She can give class presentations, assist teachers in lessons, help students print and assist with technological issues. Additionally, Ms. Brooks is responsible for keeping the media center a productive, useful space that promotes collaboration. “We also maintain the Media Center space and make sure that the resources housed at Green Hope stay current and meet student needs,” she said.
Despite her limited time here, Ms. Brooks is hopeful for her experience as part of the Falcon staff. “I am really looking forward to the opportunity to work with the teachers, staff, and students at Green Hope,” she shared.
Another new member of the Falcon staff, Ms. Syeda Enayet is a math teacher at Green Hope. She has taught for many years, including 1.5 years at Bragg Street Academy, an alternate school in Stanford, NC, and 6 years at Jordan High School in Durham, NC. “This is my eighth year as a full-time math teacher. Previously I taught at Wake Tech Community College,” Ms. Enayet shared. Alongside working with students as a teacher, she has also focused on personalized tutoring for a multitude of years. “I have been tutoring Math 1, 2, 3, AP-Pre Calc and AP Calculus in person and online for the last 20 years,” she added.
Whilst at Green Hope, Ms. Enayet is fulfilling the roles of an Honors Math 1 and Academic Math 2 teacher, although she would be happy to teach higher level math classes, including AP PreCalc or Math 3 and 4 Honors. “I enjoy teaching different groups of students. Green Hope is a great school with a diverse student population,” she said. Ms. Enayet gets satisfaction during her time teaching different levels of math and is interested in being a mentor for younger teachers, as well as assisting with intervention classes. “Every student needs to learn math [to get] ready for their future,” Ms. Enayet shares. She is excited to continue teaching at Green Hope and looks forward to helping students understand and enjoy math so they are prepared for their futures.
Mr. Cory Johnson is the third new member of Green Hope’s faculty. He is in his 26th year of education and has worked in several roles and school systems in both North and South Carolina over his career in education. Before moving back to Cary, Mr. Johnson worked in Carteret County.
Unlike many of the other new hires, Mr. Johnson has taught at Green Hope before, from 2001-2004, before moving to Fort Mill, South Carolina. He describes his original experience at the school as “exceptional,” noting that it was his first choice. This time around, Mr. Johnson is teaching a section of Sociology and two sections of American History. “I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to teach here again,” he shared.
A student Alumni, Mr. Harrison Miller is returning to Green Hope and becoming a Falcon once again, now as a teacher. Mr. Miller graduated with the class of 2016, leaving him familiar with the school’s academic standing and overall atmosphere. “I thought it would be a fun and smooth transition into teaching at school where I was already very familiar with the culture,” he shared. Many current Falcon faculty members, including Mr. Basham, Ms. Magee, Mr. Rush, Ms. Robinette, Mrs. Darden, and Ms. Alabaugh taught Mr. Miller as a student and were some of his favorite science teachers. He has gotten to know many of his former teachers on a more personal level, making his transition into the school exciting. “It exemplifies the wonderful teachers and great continuity that we have in the science department here at Green Hope,” Mr. Miller shared.
As for his history in education, Mr. Miller was a teaching assistant for two years during his Masters program at Fort Hays State University. Green Hope will be his first experience teaching grade school. Mr. Miller is teaching both Academic and Honors Earth Science, allowing him to share knowledge with students through engaging labs and other activities. He also uses SMART lunch as a time to assist students personally and spends a great deal of time with lesson plans. “As a new teacher, I spend a lot of time planning for each class period to familiarize myself with all of the activities students will be performing in class,” Mr. Miller said.
Although his time as a staff member has been short so far, Mr. Miller has plans for what he hopes to accomplish. “I am most looking forward to getting to share my knowledge of Earth and its history with students,” he explains. He hopes to continue fostering a love of earth science for his students outside of the classroom through a potential Geology or Earth History club.
Ms. Laura Nickels, another new addition to the Falcon faculty, is taking a place on the Green Hope Student Services team. She has been a school counselor for over 15 years, working with grades K-12. Ms. Nickels began her career in education in Northern Virginia as a high school counselor before switching to middle school. She then moved to North Carolina and went from elementary school, back to middle school, and then back to high school.
While at Green Hope, Ms. Nickels works with all students with the last names between Ji to Naj. She chose to continue her career in education at Green Hope as she was impressed by the student services team. “Your coworkers have such a huge influence on your day-to-day life and I was blown away by their knowledge, best practices and the supportive climate they have cultivated here,” stated Ms. Nickels. Her job is complex, as she supports students with social, emotional, academic and career issues and advice. “I help students navigate high school and beyond and am an advocate for all students.”
Ms. Nickels is excited to get to know, understand, and learn about her students while working at Green Hope. “They are at the heart of why I do my job,” she explained. “I’m most looking forward to helping students graduate with the skills needed to navigate our quickly changing world.”
The last new staff member for the 2024-25 spring semester is Ms. Kristen Sagerer, a fresh asset to Green Hope’s English department. “I have 10 years of teaching experience, including nine years at a school outside of Pittsburgh and a year at a school near Washington, DC, where I mainly taught 11th grade,” she shared. Before becoming a teacher, Ms. Sagerer worked in public relations for Dick’s Sporting Goods corporate and at Edelman Public Relations in Washington. Additionally, she played and coached Division Two softball. This gave her valuable experience that she now incorporates into her style of teaching.
Ms. Sagerer chose to work at Green Hope after moving to Raleigh this past summer with her family. She learned that Green Hope was one of the top schools in the area while house hunting and immediately applied when a job opening appeared. While at Green Hope, she teaches English II and III in Honors and Academic. “In 10th grade, we dive into world literature, and in 11th, we explore American literature,” she said. She enjoys working with these grade levels as they are known for being a pivotal time for both personal and academic growth, allowing her to make the content taught both meaningful and relevant for her students.
Ms. Sagerer is excited to form connections with her students and colleagues and experience the opportunities both Green Hope and Raleigh as a whole have to offer. Her first new opportunity has arisen in the form of a PLC, a Professional Learning Community. “The Professional Learning Community is a new experience for me, as I’ve never worked on a grade-level team before, but I’m really enjoying the opportunity to collaborate and learn from others,” she shared. Ms. Sagerer thrives in environments where she can learn and grow alongside others and is excited to pursue her role at Green Hope.
