Perrin Allen and Kris Miguel are the new long-term substitute teachers for English teachers Emily Mullaney and Lindsey Connolly after both left for maternity leave on Friday, January 13. 

While Mullaney and Connolly are gone for the remainder of the year, Allen and Miguel hope for a smooth transition that will keep the established classroom setting continuous for their students. 

“Switching from one teacher that they are used to, [to] another is stressful for them, so making sure the expectations are the same and getting to know them, and making sure everything is running smoothly is the main goal. It is important to continue what was already established with Dr. Mullaney here before, and kind of making sure the overall year runs smoothly with no issues,” said Miguel.

Both Miguel and Allen have been teaching for several years and have already had previous experience with students of all ages. Both, however, want to focus on a high school level at the moment. 

Kris Miguel has been teaching since 2016. He enjoyed the idea of teaching and being there for students. Some of the courses in college made it clear to Miguel that he wanted to teach at a high school and college level. 

Before coming to Norwood High School, Kris Miguel taught at Norton for two and a half years. Prior to Norton, he had taught in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

Allen first started teaching in his late 20s and has been teaching for 5 years total, all around the state, and in and out of Boston. Allen found himself teaching at a charter school for three and a half years in Roxbury, Massachusetts before coming to Norwood High School. 

When the two long-term spots opened up at Norwood High School, Allen and Miguel decided that they would be an appropriate fit and could act as role models for the students and get them excited to learn. 

Perrin Allen said “If I can make the lightbulb go off for somebody or improve someone's day I feel like that's a win. I like to make kids excited about reading and communication. I've always loved school I've always loved learning. I find the best way to learn something is to teach someone else how to do it and I've always been good at helping people. I’ve had a lot of opportunities in my life and I wanted to pay those forward.”

So far the adjustment has evoked some emotion towards leaving previous schools but has also welcomed new relationships and connections 

“It was a little unexpected. As a teacher, you hate to leave mid-year. A part of me felt a little guilty but at the end of the day, you gotta do what you gotta do for yourself. I'm coming from a previous school, so having to leave my other students behind mid-year was definitely a challenge for me emotionally, but honestly, Norwood [has] been great so far. Everyone's been very helpful and accommodating to me and kind so my transition has been quite seamless. I’m very happy!” said Allen.

Like Allen, Miguel has also experienced some changes while leaving his old school in Norton getting used to a new school with a new atmosphere. 

“I kind of planned on leaving my old school because there were some budgeting issues and the position I was in ended because I was not in control of these issues. Coming in now right at the end of term 2, so it's almost exactly the middle of the year. It's kind of weird because you have to get to know the students pretty quickly in the middle of the year after they are already used to one teacher,” he said.