By Amy Cyr

Lewiston High School

I just recently got the opportunity to meet and get to know a wonderful, well-rounded, and dedicated teacher. Mr. Dube! Mr. Dube! Mr. Dube! This is his second year here at LHS. He filled the spot of Mr. Gardner, saying that it was an ideal job he wanted very much. He graduated from St. Dominic’s Regional High School and moved on to further his education at the University of Southern Maine.

Mr. Dube teaches ceramics at Lewiston High School. Along with this he is the advisor if the Art Club, and is involved in a Design Tech Co-op program with Ms. St. Amand. He feels very strongly for all of his students and what they accomplish. He openly voiced his opinions about the LA Arts Program and while doing so, he said, “The LA Arts doesn’t have enough gong on for visual arts and there are gifted students here doing incredible work that needs to be shown.” He also informed me about the student are gallery that will be held at the South Campus Culinary Arts building on October 29. A handful of students will be recognized then.

While talking to him, I felt as if I wasn’t just talking to any ordinary teacher, but I was talking to an artist himself. And I was! Mr. Dube believes that to truly be able to teach art you need to be an artist yourself, you need to have work of your own to show. It proves that you are dedicated to who you are as a person and who you are as a teacher. It shows that you make mistakes and work hard just as a student does. To prove this theory of mine, I will let you know that he owned his own art studio, which was called J. Dube Art Studio and Gallery. He also has had some of his work displayed in Portland and in a couple other surrounding areas.

Not only is this man an artist, folks, he’s a musician. Right when you think it doesn’t get any better, it does! He plays the acoustic guitar and bass. He plays for two bands, one with his great friend Tammy Lynn, and the other with Mr. Meyers, who happens to be another one of our talented art teachers. I’m sure the music is great, hopefully we’ll get to hear some of it, someday.

Any of you who do not know who Mr. Dube is, sign up for his class. As he states, “Everyone wants to be here. It’s a popular class and it fills up quick.”

How Do You Like It?

By Nick Sassiville

Holy Cross School

Mrs. McManus, one of the teachers at Holy Cross Junior High, started teaching math this year for the first time. We wanted to take a closer look.

I asked Mrs. McManus why she started teaching math this year. She told me that one of the staff members had left the school and the student population had decreased this year. All the teaching roles were switched around and she ended up teaching two classes of math along with four classes of science.

Do the students enjoy Mrs. McManus as a math teacher? I asked one of her students, Alyssa Plourde, how she liked her new math teacher. “I like Mrs. McManus teaching math quite a lot because she does make it fun. She is one of those teachers that explains things very well and I like that.”

We wish Mrs. McManus a successful year.

New Career Preparation teacher

By Matt Levasseur

Lewiston Middle School

There is a new Career Preparation teacher at L.M.S. Her name is Mrs. Brito. She has moved here from Michigan. She hasn’t always wanted to teach. Before teaching, she wanted to be an oboe soloist. She went to college pursuing this, but realized that teaching is what she really wanted to do. This, she decided, would allow her to help people.

Mrs. Brito has taught before this. She taught first grade and taught in New York to kindergarten through fourth grade at private schools. The assistant principal at her school last year knows the one at L.M.S., and he recommended her to us by telling about her experience and talent. Next, she noticed that teaching seventh and eighth grade would be a benefit to the students because they are all going through difficult times in their lives.

The main idea that she wants to get through the students’ heads is to feel good about themselves and to take risks. She also said that L.M.S. is very likable and she likes L.M.S. more and more everyday. She also wants everyone to know that her family is very important to her.

New teacher at LHS

By Amanda Michaud

Lewiston High School

Mrs. Jorgensen is a new English teacher at Lewiston High School. Recently, I interviewed her. Here are some interesting things to know about Mrs. Jorgensen:

Is this your first year teaching?

No.

How many years have you taught?

I’ve taught for 6 years.

How do you like Lewiston High School so far?

So far so good!

What do you like best about Lewiston High School?

I like the students, I like the atmosphere, and 1 also like the diversity.

What things do you like to do outside of teaching?

I like to cook. I also like to read and shop. I like spending time with my husband and I like to go on road trips.

Have you always wanted to become a teacher?

Yes.

What made you want to be a teacher?

My mother used to tell me that when I was little 1 used to line up my stuffed animals and pretend I was teaching them. Later on, in high school, I was involved in National Honor Society, and 1 was asked to tutor a student. The person I had to tutor couldn’t read, so I worked with him and helped him through school. He basically got through high school because of me.

Are you involved in any clubs here at the high school?

Yes, I am the Freshman Field Hockey Coach and the Assistant Coach of the Debate Team.

What was your favorite class in high school?

It was a class called Early Childhood Development.

What’s your all-time favorite book?

The World According to Garp by John Irving.

What’s your favorite movie?

My all-time favorite movie is GoneWith the Wind.

New Teacher at Monmouth Academy

By Heidi J. Bonderud

Monmouth Academy

Monmouth Academy has a new social studies teacher this year. His name is Mr. Barry Lohnes. He is an ex-marine who currently lives in Topsham. He was the owner of East Sports in Topsham for 18 years; however, now he has returned to teaching at Monmouth in order to make a difference in the lives of youth.

He came back to Monmouth Academy because the job was open due to the resignation of Chris Boynton, our former history teacher. Mr. Lohnes had a good experience here when he taught from 1971- 1974 when the Academy was across the street in what is currently the middle school. He enjoys teaching history, especially the colonial period. However, he says the worst thing about teaching is correcting all the papers!

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