Mr. Kimball Connects With His Students

Coach Dan Kimball watches his boys soccer team. Veritas photo

April 6, 2018

Haiden Fiore, Veritas Staff

As a new alternative education teacher, Dan Kimball is striving to find his place here at RHS. Although Kimball is a new teacher he is familiar with the in’s and out’s of Rockland High School, and the different ways “we roll.”

Mr. Kimball started his teaching career in the Rogers Middle School. He says that even though he really enjoyed the staff and students in the middle school, he feels that the “high school is definitely a better fit.”

This year Mr. Kimball works for the Transitions program which he says “allows students to academically succeed while supporting them as they transition into the adult world.”

Adapting to the high school was something that came easy to Mr. Kimball. “Starting with a long-term substitute position within the English Department really allowed me to become acclimated to the high school,” said Mr. Kimball. “The various things that I learned last year have really helped me moving forward.”

Mr. Kimball also says he “loves working in Rockland because there is a sense of family and commitment to the student body throughout the entire district.”

Mr. Kimball works with Jagger Elliot.
photo by Ryan Mott

Working with children is a job you have to love. Mr. Kimball said, “I really enjoy the feeling of impacting a student’s life beyond the classroom.  It’s obviously great to see a student succeed academically, but if I am able to positively impact their life then I feel as though I have done a good job.”

Susan Patton, Mr. Kimball’s “boss” is the director of the Transitions program.

Mrs. Patton says she chose Mr. Kimball to be the new teacher in the program for many reasons. She explained, “He is young, enthusiastic, passionate, intelligent, and he loves the written word.”

She also observed that he is great with the students.

“He really can get lots of work done while keeping a low stress classroom and he seems to know how to work with all learning styles while having high expectations for all students,” says Mrs. Patton.

She also said, “Mr. Kimball is a perfect fit. He is really connecting with our students, and they respect him. He is open to suggestions, and yet he is confident in his instructional curriculum.”

Mrs. Patton who also teaches in the program explains that they “team up together whenever they can.”

Playing many roles here at RHS and being in education for 25 years, Mrs. Patton is an accomplished teacher, and she  and Mr. Kimball expect that their students “respect each other, are kind, and that they have their minds open to learning.”

Andre Coste, a sophomore who has Mr. Kimball this year, says, “He’s a really laid back and chill teacher. Whenever you need help he always makes sure to be there and that’s a really important thing in a teacher.”

Coste says that he enjoys Mr. Kimball’s class. He says Mr. Kimball is just such a good teacher that he makes the class come easy for him “as long as I am paying attention.”

“Mr. Kimball is the best teacher in my eyes, ” Coste said. “Honestly, everything about his class is my favorite.”

As far as the other students in Mr. Kimball’s class Coste says, “The young students can really relate to Mr. Kimball so a lot of students love him, and you can tell that he mixes well with the students.”