Mr. Head

By: Ava Worman

Mr. Head is one of the two art teachers here at AHS. Beyond his artistic skills, he stands out as a mentor and role model, consistently inspiring and supporting students both in and out of the classroom.

Compassionate and caring are two ways that many people would describe Mr. Head. These traits stem from the people he looked up to as a kid, who had an impact on his adult life as a teacher. Head states, “I had a few teachers and coaches who made a huge impact on me. Through their actions, they modeled what it truly means to care for, teach, and support young people. Their influence inspired me to pursue a similar path, striving to be that same kind of positive figure in the lives of my own students.”

Mr. Head speaks about how he feels incredibly fortunate to have people whom he has looked up to his whole life,  one of which AHS students know very well. Mr. Headclaims, “Sean Berrodin's impact is in the present tense. I am and always have been in awe of him as an artist. He has always been someone I wanted to push myself to be like. He is an incredible teacher, artist, father, and an even better human being. I am so blessed to have these years teaching with him.”

Alongside art, of course, P.E was always Mr. Head's favorite subject in school. Head states that it was a nice contrast between being hyper and active and calm and focused. When asked about his favorite subjects in school, Head claims, “Obviously ART with Mr. B! Phys Ed- Physical Education was a much needed energy release and I love to compete! I participated in multiple sports in school and was always too hyper to stay in a seat all day. Art was my peace and my calm. I was able to get lost in my work and time would fly by. I took so much pride in what I created and nothing gave me more satisfaction than my finished pieces of art. Art challenged the part of my brain that I was best at using and I always embraced those challenges.”

Mr. Head discovered that he loved art from a very young age. He states that even back in middle school, his art teacher, Mrs. Patty Eskridge, has had a lasting impact on him to this day. He shares that beyond her encouragement and positive outlook, she also made him believe that he could pursue art. Head explains, “She gave me a sketchbook at the end of my 8th grade year and wrote ‘Keep Drawing’ on the inside cover. I still have the sketchbook. Since then I never stopped! Now, I give my Artist of the Semester a sketchbook with the same line of encouragement... ‘Keep Drawing’!!”

Attending high school at Crestwood, later getting a bachelor's degree in art at Notre Dame, and then a master's degree in Educational Technology from American College of Education, Mr head is beyond qualified and talented at what he does. Although a lot of his childhood revolved around art, he also claims that he was very interested in football growing up and even played at the collegiate level. He exclaims, “Most of my memories from high school revolve around football. Football, training for football, watching football... It was my life! I started when I was 7 and played through college until a career ending knee injury my sophomore year. I had great teachers, friends and relationships. I could not have asked for a better high school experience!”

All of Mr. Head’s experiences in his adolescent years led him to where he feels like he belongs, teaching at Aurora. He shows so much gratitude for the district and community because of all his amazing students and colleagues he works with each day. He remarks, “Teaching at Aurora has reignited my passion for teaching. Our community, students, teachers, and administration truly appreciate every part of our education from core subjects through electives. It is ALL truly valued.” 

Teaching at Aurora makes Mr. Head’s job feel like something he gets to do as opposed to has to do. He appreciates each and every day that he gets to share his passion to his bright students. He adds,  “Our community rallies behind the school's education and athletics and I feel inspired when I come to work. Everyone realizes that all students are different and brilliant in their own way. Our mission aligns with my mission as a teacher, which is to support students beyond content and nurture the roots!”

Mr. Head’s students leave his class learning something valuable everyday about art and beyond but from Head’s perspective there are concepts that stick out to him. He claims, “I really love teaching perspective! I feel that when students understand how to draw the correct perspective, then they truly connect with the ability to create illusions and unlock their creativity.”

Most of our students here at AHS know Mr. Head as being an amazing art teacher but what they might not know is that he has an extremely productive life outside of school. When asked about his favorite hobbies, Head states, “Exercise is a huge part of my life and who I am. I have a garage gym that I am fortunate enough to have. I start my day with a 3 am workout! I also love creating art, landscaping, and spending time with my family.” He also shares another fun fact that students might not have known: “One thing students may not know about me is that I used to work at: Great Lakes Cheese, Geauga Lake, Denny's, Impullitti’s Landscaping, Italiano's Pizza, and Notre Coffee Shop.”

What truly sets Mr. Head apart is his ability to genuinely connect with his students every single day. Many of them say he’s made a lasting impact on their lives—just as his own teachers once did for him. When asked about his strengths as a teacher, he says, “I believe my ability to build relationships, connect with and empower students has made my career in education a successful one. I believe we as teachers should never forget about what students have going on outside of your class. It is easy to get hyper focused on what we expect from them in regards to our class and forget about the rest. I think my ability to prioritize students as people has allowed me to make meaningful connections.”

In conclusion, Mr. Head is a standout teacher at AHS; not just for his artistic talent, but for the meaningful connections he builds with his students. His lasting impact makes him someone they’ll never forget.