Getting to know new math teacher, Ms. Kayleigh Harris

Photo courtesy Ms. Harris

By Nahia Morgan, Staff Writer

10/8/25

ROCKLAND- A new teacher in the math department returned to her hometown to teach. Ms. Kayleigh Harris has replaced Ms. Valerie Mulready, who retired last spring.

Background

Ms. Harris grew up in Rockland, and attended RHS until she transferred to East Bridgewater High in her freshman year.

“I always wanted to be a teacher ever since I was in second grade,” Ms. Harris said. 

She attended Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and her Master’s in Secondary Education. 

“I was looking for somebody who understood the math curriculum as well as being a good fit with the department,” Mr. Steven Casagrande, the head of the math department, said about the hiring process.

This is Ms. Harris’s first year teaching, and she was specifically drawn to RHS because she wanted to feel at home again. 

Fun Facts and Personality 

Outside of school, Ms. Harris enjoys cheerleading. Her favorite TV show is Grey’s Anatomy, and her go-to karaoke song is “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson. 

“What stood out to me about Ms. Harris was that she had worked as a substitute in the middle school, so she was known to the Rockland schools. She also knew what she was talking about when it came to handling a classroom,” Mr. Casagrade said. 

Freshman Alexander Fletcher takes Ms. Harris’s Algebra 1 class. 

“I didn’t know if she was going to be a strict teacher or one of those bad teachers, but as I got to know her personally, she was really chill,” he said. 

Ms. Harris is a Gemini and she thinks her Zodiac sign fits her very well. 

Her favorite way to spend a rainy day is in her bed watching TV. She supports the Philadelphia Eagles, and if she could travel anywhere in the world, she would go to Hawaii. 

“I promised my mom I would take her to Hawaii,” she explained. 

And saving the most interesting fun fact for last, Ms. Harris is actually a triplet. Her brothers graduated from RHS in 2020.

Advice and hopes for the school year

Her advice to students who want to succeed in her class this year is to always try and never give up.  

“I think students need to understand that there’s a lot of work that goes into teaching and they need to be appreciative of it,” she said.

Ms. Harris is looking forward to learning about her students and watching them succeed this year.

“I would say she makes math easier to learn. I feel like she really simplifies the math and makes it easier to understand,” Fletcher said. “She’s very fun to be with. She plays these games with us. She makes assignments a lot more fun. It’s less boring.” 

She is clearly a popular choice among the students.

“She cares about the students. She works hard. She’s here for the students, and she gets along with the other math teachers,” Mr. Casagrande said. 

From Algebra 1 to Algebra 3, it’s clear Ms. Harris is ready to help her students achieve great things — one equation at a time.