1. 1. How long have you been involved in education?
   2. What are your interests outside of school?
   3. What are you most excited about for your first year at Lincoln?
   4. What was your favorite Netflix show to binge over the summer?
   5. What was your favorite thing that you did this summer?
   6. When you were in high school, what was your favorite class?
   7. If you were a high schooler at Lincoln today, what elective would you take?
   8. Anything else?

Melody Walker: Math

1. This is my third year teaching high school mathematics.  I have been involved in education for the past 10 years, as a math tutor and a community school volunteer. This year, I’m excited to be teaching Algebra 1-2, Algebra 1-2 Support, and Pre Math Studies.
2. When I am not grading or lesson planning, I can be found trying out new recipes, hiking with friends, reading math blogs, or watching sci-fi with my husband.
3. I am most excited to get to know the wonderful students at Lincoln and to work with such a phenomenal group of teachers. I am also looking forward to introducing my Algebra 1-2 students to Bootstrap World [coding curriculum] and seeing their understanding of algebraic functions grow through making a video game!
4. When we ran out of Star Wars Rebels episodes to watch this summer, my husband and I decided to start all 4 seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise.
5. Travel. I began the summer by attending an awesome math and computer programming training course in Santa Monica, CA with [fellow Lincoln math teacher] Erin Mahony. I also got to visit my nephews and my niece in Ohio and Kansas.
6. It was always a tie between French and Math. Senior year, my best friend talked me into taking a dual-credit Western Civilization class.  It was by far the most challenging class I took in high school, but because I had to work so hard I learned more in that class than in any other [classes].
7. I would take 2D Studio: Design, History & Aesthetics as an elective. I took a drawing class one semester at university and I really enjoyed it.
8. I am originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, but have lived in Portland, Oregon for more than half of my life. I am partial to my Canadian roots, but I love living here. The only things Portland is missing are ketchup chips and Coffee Crisp chocolate bars.

Mary Rechner: Mass Communications and Urban Exploration

1. More than 20 years as teacher, teaching artist and program director.
2. I love to read- newspapers, magazines, novels and some nonfiction. I also love to swim, my husband has a 50-year-old motor boat and we go to the Columbia River. I also enjoy film, theater, live music, and going to galleries and museums. I enjoy spending time with my sons— ages 17 and 20— hiking, going out to eat, or just hanging out and talking about music or movies or politics.
3. I’m excited to get to know students and help them become stronger communicators as well as foster their curiosity and creativity. I’m also excited to get to know the other teachers at Lincoln.
4. Master of None.
5. I went to New York to visit my family of origin, my six brothers and sisters as well as their families and my parents all live on Long Island and New York City.
6. English!
7. Probably Urban Exploration.

Ellie Virlouvet: French

1. About seven years informally, and four years formally.  I moved to France for my undergraduate degree and began tutoring students in English.  That was my first experience with education, and one of the main reasons I became a teacher.  Formerly, I taught English for two years in France before moving back home to Oregon to get my Master’s in Teaching.  During my masters program, I [was a student teacher] at Lincoln for one year with [English teacher] Barbara Brown and [French teacher] Doug Siegel.
2. I love hanging out with my family, spending time outdoors, reading, eating good food, watching T.V. shows and traveling.
3. I am so excited to get to know all of my new students at Lincoln.  It has been so much fun seeing all of my previous students from last year and hearing about their growth.
4. Most recently, I rewatched “The Office,” which was absolutely amazing.  Non-Netflix, but we also watched the latest “Game of Thrones” season.  Those are just two examples of many.
5. This summer, I backpacked quite a few parts of the Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail.  It was a pretty amazing and challenging experience, and was definitely my favorite thing that I did this summer.
6. English.  I absolutely loved everything about my English classes, from the literature that we analyzed to the discussions we had. English class made me love school.
7. I would take Critical Race Studies as an elective. I believe that every single person can benefit from a Critical Race Studies class.  It allows us to truly understand our own racial history, culture and identity in order to begin actively changing our world.
8. They can always come talk to me about school or non-school related things. I am an excellent listener.

Sada Dewey: Counselor

1. I’ve been involved in education since I was 18 in various positions.
2. Reading, fashion, health and nutrition, travel, music and movies.
3. Helping students pave their path/goals for high school
4. The Flash.
5. Visit with friends!
6. AP Environmental Science
7. Either leadership or Spanish film.

Coren Rau: 2D Design and Ceramics

1. This is my first year as a high school teacher – I finished my Master’s in Teaching at Lewis and Clark, and did my student teaching here at Lincoln last year. But I was raised by teachers, and have always gravitated toward teaching. At various points in my life, I’ve taught French (to English speakers), English (to French speakers), and Art in a variety of forms, mostly to adults and college students.
2. Of course art is at the top of that list. I love camping, and try to get time in the mountains or near the ocean whenever I can. I also love to cook, especially for people I care about, and I bake a really excellent loaf of Challah!
3. I loved my time at Lincoln last year, and I’m honestly just really excited to be back here this year. There are so many amazing things going on in this community, and I’m looking forward to getting to know my students and colleagues better, and figuring out where I fit in and how I can contribute.
4. Yikes. My taste in TV is pretty embarrassing!  I finally got sucked into Game of Thrones last fall when I was stuck in bed for two weeks recovering from surgery. I also have this weird love for terrible reality shows about Alaska.
5. I’d say the morning I spent floating around in an inner tube on Lake Takhlakh, looking at the reflection of Mt. Adams in the water was definitely a high point.
6. Photography! I loved the subject, but a lot of my love for that class was because the teacher was phenomenal. She always kept her room open before and after school and at lunch. Some days the only reason I went to school was so that I could go be in that room. That was the class that made me realize I wanted to be an artist, but it was also someplace where I felt safe and had a chance to start figuring out who I was in a lot of other important ways. I think about that experience a lot when I’m thinking about what kind of teacher I want to be.
7. Probably Urban Exploration. It’s so easy to fall into routines and take the places we see every day for granted.
8. One of the best parts of this job is getting to know my students and hearing about what’s going on in your lives and what matters to you. I hope my room will eventually be the amazing home away from home I was lucky to have in my high school photo classroom, but in the meantime, I hope you’ll come by and chat!

The Cardinal Times staff made their best effort to reach out to all of the new teachers at Lincoln High School, but, unfortunately, were not able to connect with all of them.