The world has gone through massive changes and so has our school. Our school has hired many new people this year, including Mr. Jonathan Nguyen. Mr. Nguyen is currently a math teacher who teaches Algebra 2 and Math Analysis at our High School. He grew up around Rosemead and El Monte and graduated from UC Davis with his bachelor’s of science degree. He and his wife met when they were both in high school and became high school sweethearts. They tied the knot in 2018 and have stayed together since. They share a dog named Bruno who has been an added member of the family since March. Outside of teaching, Mr. Nguyen enjoys doing physical and relaxing activities. “I like to play video games and workout by lifting weights. I created a home gym a couple years ago which is currently paying off. I enjoy spending time with my dog despite all the responsibilities that come with having a dog. And I have really been enjoying this manga called “One Piece,” Mr. Nguyen said.

The decision to become a teacher is often taken from experience or inspiration. Mr. Nguyen became a teacher because he found an interest in teaching and helping students. “I want to give my students the confidence to pursue their goals and to keep trying,” Mr. Nguyen said. Someone he looked up to and aided him in his decision for his livelihood was his calculus teacher. “I had looked up to him as a father. He gave me direction towards my goals,” Mr. Nguyen said.

As a teacher, there are many important qualities he looks for in a student. “What I value most is people that work hard. I also value someone that can accept failure and be able to be successful through trying,” Mr. Nguyen said.

Coming into a new district like San Marino left Mr. Nguyen with many first impressions. “My first impression of San Marino are the test scores and how this school takes pride in their high ranking. It is very impressive that San Marino is the highest performing school in the state. I hope that my contributions will aide San Marino in staying at the top,” Mr. Nguyen said. San Marino’s high performance is also one of the characteristics of San Marino that has appealed to him to choose our school as his teaching destination.

Since the start of the school year, classes and activities have been shifted to online. Teachers and students are forced to adapt to this massive change. Many people have differing opinions towards online learning. Mr. Nguyen however, has been very positive about this change. “I was probably the most positive person when it came to online learning. Online learning is not as different if I were to teach in person. The only difference is the lack of social interactions. I would like my students to interact with each other and digest the material in person,” Mr. Nguyen said

. Despite being unable to be on campus, we are appreciative to all of our staff for being able to adjust to changes and aiding students and SMHS to be the best.