Get to know Mr. Stern

We're excited to have several relatively new staff members at Lucas, and we'll get to know them as the year progresses.  This month, we talked to fifth grade teacher Mark Stern, who is in his third year as a Mighty Hawk.

The Mighty Hawk Messenger: How long have you worked at Lucas, and what did you do prior to joining us here?

Mr. Stern:  This is my third year at Lucas.  I originally started teaching in 1991.  Prior to coming to Lucas I had my own team dealer/sporting goods business.
The Mighty Hawk Messenger:  What do you like best about being a Lucas teacher?

Mr. Stern: The kids here at Lucas are great!  I enjoy going to school every day.  I work with a great group of teachers, staff and administrators so that makes my job fun.
The Mighty Hawk Messenger:  What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a teacher?  What did you learn from the experience?

Mr. Stern: One of the biggest challenges as a teacher is dealing with diverse populations and bringing them together to learn.  I have an increased sense of awareness of the different challenges and backgrounds that students have.  Being responsive to their needs and aware of them helps me to be more responsive to their needs.

The Mighty Hawk Messenger:  What is something about you that people who don’t know you well would be surprised to learn?

Mr. Stern: One thing people may not know about me is that I am avid tennis player.

The Mighty Hawk Messenger:  What’s the best book you’ve read in the last year?  What’s the best movie you’ve seen?

Mr. Stern: The best book I've read in the past year was The Slight Edge. by Jeff Olson and the best movie I've seen this past year was Justice League

The Mighty Hawk Messenger:  When you were a kid, did you expect you’d become a teacher?  If not, what did you want to be?

Mr. Stern: When i was a kid I had aspirations of becoming a sportscaster.  I went to UNI and earned a BA in Broadcasting.  I went back and earned my BA in Education in 1991.