Mr. Baczkowski

Mr. Baczkowski, also known as Baz, has been quite the teacher at AHS. He’s been teaching for a total of 26 years. He’s also a coach of a few sports throughout the Aurora school district. 

Baz knew he wanted to be a teacher when he was a senior in high school: “Senior year in high school my Calculus teacher inspired me.  I knew then  I wanted to teach math and coach baseball.” He also shared that his biggest impact is his parents. As for an academic background, he shares that he went to John Carroll University: “I'm a John Carroll Blue Streak through and through.”

Baz’s high school experience was similar to many students now, as he was more introverted when he was an underclassman and then came out of his shell as an upperclassman: “Freshman and Sophomore year I was quite reserved outside of sports. During my Junior and Senior year I got more involved in other organizations and became a Senior class officer.” He also shares that a struggle was learning a language: “Academically I did well but still had my struggles with picking up another language.” 

While Baz was in school, he enthusiastically shared his favorite subject: “Math!!!” He also explained what his favorite subject to teach is: “[I enjoy teaching] Statistics in general, but Simpson's Paradox really hits home.  Being able to interpret and manipulate data is such a powerful skill in our data driven society.” 

When it comes to his favorite part of working at AHS, Baz shares that the students have been the best part: “So many amazing kids through the years.  There is nothing better than getting an email from a graduate to let me know how much they benefitted by taking Stats in high school.” He also explains that his favorite memory throughout the years would be all the coaching he’s done: “There are so many, but I have a bulletin board with many of the teams I've coached throughout the years.  They remind me of so many great times where kids continue to grow as individuals and teammates outside of the classroom.  I feel sports and extracurricular activities in high school are an instrumental part of growth for students.”

One thing students might not know about Baz is that he was quite a baseball player. He shared that he won a trip to the 1984 World Series game: “I won a trip to the 1984 Baseball World Series by winning a pitch, hit and run contest for baseball.” He also says that his favorite thing to do outside of school is anything with his sons. 

Baz feels that his best teaching quality is that he has his expectations for his students, but can still meet them where they’re at. However, he feels that his students could answer this question better. 

It’s safe to say that Baz has been a very important part of the Aurora community. He has been such a joy to have in and out of the classroom!

Written by: Maddie Mink