According to Jacinda Solhalski, chairperson of the CHS math department, math teacher Peter Beck will teach AP Calculus BC and Multivariable Calculus, beginning with the 2016 – 2017 school year, after math teacher Jan Mitchener retired.

Solhalski and school administrators chose Beck, who has taught at CHS for 18 years and calculus courses for 12 years,  primarily because of his interest and experience.

“Mr. Beck has done some tutoring with (Calculus BC), and he has also worked with some students in those classes through some of the different math classes, so he has a familiarity with some of those students,” Solhalski said. “And he was interested in it. You know, not every teacher wants, at the high school level,  to teach that level of class. The (multivariable calculus), especially, is something that is not offered in a lot of high schools; it’s a top- level math class, so you definitely have to have a real passion for that upper level mathematics to take that on, and so he had the interest, we felt he had the qualifications, and he is willing to take it on.”

Beck said while his teaching style is different from Mitchener’s, he hopes to merge both of them and emphasize more project-based learning, especially for Multivariable Calculus.

“I think I’m going to merge a little bit of her style with my style, because it’s a different group of students, so I’m getting information about what has been best for these students to learn, both in Honors Precalculus as well as Mrs. Mitchener’s current courses,” Beck said.

Senior Christian Stahly said he was disappointed when Mitchener announced her retirement because he liked the way her classes were structured and had hoped she would teach Multivariable Calculus for him.

“I’m very sad. Mitchener was a great teacher and I’m disappointed I won’t have her for (Multivariable Calculus),” Stahly said. “I liked the way she had her lessons planned, and the notes packet that we got for the whole year.”

However, Stahly said he still looks forward to the class with Beck as the teacher.

“I don’t really know him, but I’m sure he’ll be a decent teacher,” Stahly said.

The student-teacher interaction Beck said he looks forward to was something Mitchener, who taught for 26 years at CHS and calculus courses for 15 years, said she valued greatly. Mitchener said it made the decision to retire very difficult.

“I’m going to miss the students and building relationships with students. That’s the biggest thing. That’s the main reason why I didn’t want to retire,” Mitchener said. “I enjoy getting to know my students and building relationships and finding out what they’re involved with and just getting to know them. I’m going to miss that hugely. That’s the number one reason that was making me second guess. I get to know students and, really, they have a special part of my heart. I treat them as my own children and for that part of the year they become my own children. That’s what makes it hard to leave.”