Math was rooted in Mr. Keegan Anzalone’s childhood, with his father integrating the subject in his everyday life. That influence at a young age is what eventually led Anzalone to campus as a first-year math teacher, teaching Integrated I and II. 

“My dad was a middle school math teacher for 32 years,” Anzalone said. “I always liked how he handled his classrooms, and I tried to do the same, but also the games we would play, him and I, made me love math.”

Originally studying engineering, Anzalone got his education at the University of California Riverside. After realizing engineering wasn’t for him, he started to teach music at after school programs and classes, doing so for nearly a decade. Later, Anzalone decided to go back to school to get his teaching credential in math. 

“I actually applied to Riverside Unified School District, because that’s where I was living, and it was great,” Anzalone said. “It’s where I did my student teaching. I think the biggest challenge of just getting my credential is CalTPA.”

CalTPA, also known as the California Teaching Performance Assessment, is a two cycle process in which teachers receive their accreditation. While he was student teaching, Anzalone wrote 140 pages and recorded 12 videos on what he was doing while student teaching in order to pass the CalTPA for mathematics.

Anzalone and his family moved to the area to be closer to his wife’s family, who live in the Rocklin area. Before settling on campus, Anzalone applied to Rocklin, Del Oro and Woodcreek. 

“Coming from Riverside, [there] was a lot of apathy. People didn’t care about school spirit, people didn’t care about the football games,” Anzalone said. “People didn’t care about their community even. But, I’ve noticed everyone here does care about those things, and it makes me very grateful to be a part of it.”

One of Anzalone’s students, Jawad Omid, said his teaching strategies have been helpful.

“He shows us examples right before we do the [problem], and it’s good to have it in your head and see how to actually do it because he gives us visual examples,” Omid said. ”Then, he goes through it with us and then he also does a lot of stuff on the whiteboard, which I personally like.” 

Understanding the learning curve to teaching at a new school, fellow math teacher, Ms. Jennifer Hodge wanted to make Anzalone feel welcomed before he began. 

“We had a barbeque at my house right before school started,” Hodge said. “He came to that, and then we have a slideshow of some of the tricky things about Schoology and stuff; we gave him a presentation of all the weird little things he needs to learn.”

Additionally, Hodge said that Anzalone has brought a good energy to the math department. 

“He’s really energetic and enthusiastic about teaching, and I think he’s an excellent addition to our team,” Hodge said. “I think he makes the pod a happy place to be.”

Currently, Anzalone is still continuing to learn about the on-campus traditions, like the “Fun Fridays,” rallies and spirit days for football. Along with that, he is also still connecting with the students and teachers alike. 

Anzalone said, “Just continuing to grow, continuing to build the relationships with my students, fellow teachers and administration and being a part of the rallies, being a part of just everything I can with regards to the school.” 

by OLIVIA BOYD, CLAIRE CURTIS, MAIRYN OSECHECK, RILEY RUST, JEZLYN SOTELO, ISABELLA TOMASINI & MATVEY YAZKOV