New teachers join staff

Another addition to the staff this year is business education teacher, Evan Imgrund. Imgrund teaches introduction to business and both Microsoft classes. Imgrund received his undergraduate degree from Juniata College and received his masters from Frostburg State University. "I realized I wanted to be a teacher in the middle of my sophomore year. I had always had it in the back of my mind, but...

Life Skills teacher Paige Matteson is also new this year, experiencing her first year of teaching at a high school. Before graduating, Matteson taught as a student teacher at State College for grades second through fifth, helping with learning, emotional and behavioral support. She had a practicum experience in Life Skills at Juniata Valley High school, something she enjoys teaching.  “I h...

Special education teacher Dominic Farabaugh has also joined the school staff this year. He co-teaches two English classes as a learning support teacher. Farabaugh attended Thiel College and at first, his focus was early childhood development, but he shifted to special education. "In my sophomore year, I had some health issues that derailed my original plans. I admired the teachers in my life...

Karen Oswald is another addition to the school’s teaching staff this year, beginning her first year as a special education teacher. Oswald attended Kent State University before working six years at a drop out recovery high school and teaching at the Cascade Career Prep High School in Akron, Ohio.  Part of the reason that Oswald moved to Altoona was because of her family, but the other reason was bec...

A new member to the English staff is Alyssa Fasolo. Fasolo now teaches English 10 and Academic English 10 this year. Fasolo attended AAHS, graduating in 2015 and then moved onto Juniata College where she graduated four years later, majoring in secondary English education and minoring in professional writing. As an alum, the high school has contributed to Fasolo’s passion for English and her desire to teach.�...

Samantha Knepp has joined the science department and is teaching careers in science, academic physics and AP Physics. Knepp attended Penn State before working at Grier School For Girls for four years. "I've always liked helping people learn, so when I got out of college with my bachelor's, I knew I didn't want to go into research, so I decided to pursue teaching," Knepp said. At Grier she...

A recent addition to the Technology Education department is Todd Bennett. Bennett teaches Technology Education/STEAM with classes in the domain of robotics, mechanical design and architectural design.  Bennett attended Penn State University and obtained both a BS in Information, Sciences and Technology and BA in Communication/Convergent Media. He also recently attended Point Park University for his teachin...

Victoria Good moved to Altoona last year for a long-term sub position and fell in love with the area and everything the high school had to offer. Now, Good co-teaches English 10 with Alyssa Fasolo and Nichole Harris as a learning support teacher. Good graduated from Mount Aloysius College with a degree in English literature, specializing in secondary education. Although Good is currently workin...

Jennifer Weidley has joined the school staff as a special education learning support teacher for Algebra I. Weidley attended Liberty University in Virginia and taught Earth Science in Virginia for five years. "At first, I wanted to be a health teacher because of an amazing teacher I had. However, in high school I had the opportunity to work with a different school and it was a good opportunity...