This year we had an amazing teacher, Kathryn Teets, who began teaching AP United States History. She adapted very well to teaching a new class and has done an amazing job with her first year teaching APUSH.

In addition to teaching, she is the Girl’s Water Polo coach at our school as well. She played water polo as a high schooler herself and even went on to play in college. She began playing water polo in sixth grade after moving in next door to the high school water polo coach. Post-high school she played water polo at the University of Hawaii and started coaching after graduation.

“I coached at the University of Hawaii for six years before moving back to California. I’ve been coaching water polo now for 12 years,” said Teets.

Currently, she has been coaching at Laguna Beach High School for two years. Last year she began teaching in Ms. Sadler’s World History class during the fall semester. Later, in the spring semester, she was a long-term substitute for Digital Photography, Financial Literacy, and Credit Recovery.

“There I learned so much about photography and the support the Laguna community has for the arts. I also learned more about how to support all kinds of students and was inspired by those students who showed a lot of resilience,” said Teets.

Ms. Teats did not always want to be a teacher. However, she grew up with both of her parents as teachers. After her coaching collegiate water polo, she felt that getting her teaching credential would be the right thing to do.

This year, the fall semester was her first time teaching AP United States History, and from only one semester she has made such a positive impact on all of her students.

“As a teacher, you learn as much as you can about the content while also building relationships with students and figuring out how they learn best,” said Teets.

Ms. Teets has created an amazing environment for her students. She will be missed in the classroom this upcoming semester, and we are so excited to see what is to come for her.