A teacher’s calm voice echoes through the classroom of eager students. Guiding them through the process of solving complex algebraic equations, she describes each step with ease. By using unique and engaging teaching techniques, she works hard to convey to students how wonderful math can truly be.

Rosemary Cernech is a new to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, teaching Algebra 2 and Math for College Algebra. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Cernech attended Incarnate Word College. After she graduated college, she taught both middle and high school students in Texas. When she moved to Florida, she taught at Mary Help of Christians Catholic School, Somerset Parkland Academy and Sawgrass Springs Middle School.

From a young age, Cernech wanted to become a teacher. She was greatly inspired by her third grade teacher, her high school French teacher and her high school Physics teacher, all of whom she greatly admires to this day. With those people in mind, Cernech strives to be a role model to her students, looking to inspire the next generation.

When a student needs assistance, Cernech makes sure that she is always there and willing to help. She believes that students bringing problems and questions to her attention helps her to become a better teacher. Cernech strives everyday to see the joy a student has when they understand a topic.

“I love interacting with students because they teach me how to become a better teacher,” Cernech said. “I like to see the pride they have in their work and themselves when they understand a topic that had been challenging for them.”

In recent years, Cernech has been teaching middle schoolers, which she thoroughly enjoyed. However, it was always her intention to return to teaching at the high school level when the opportunity arose.

Before her son could attend MSD, Cerech had only heard students and parents’ positive remarks about its programs and athletics. Once her son became a freshman, she was able to experience firsthand everything the school has to offer.

“I have always liked teaching high school and have heard so many great things about Douglas,” Cernech said. “I wanted to be a part of it.”

As soon as Cernech came to MSD, the staff and administration proved to be extremely helpful in answering all of her questions. At first, she had trouble learning how to navigate Canvas and online textbooks, in which her fellow staff helped her with.

“The administration and staff have helped me with so many things,” Cernech said. “Every day, I have many questions and they all get answered by someone here.”

Cernech also enjoys getting to know her students and what they do after school. Talking to her students allows her to understand their interests and what teenagers do for fun in the current time. It also helps her forge a bond with her students that she hopes they will remember forever.

“It is special to interact with the students because I get to know them individually,” Cernech said. “It is nice to learn about what they do outside of math class.”

In her free time, Cernech enjoys baking, watching tennis, boating and spending time with her friends and family. She has a husband who she has been married to for 25 years and two children, ages 16 and 12. However, she claims her biggest passion is running.

“I have done a few Olympic distance triathlons and [have] run one marathon,” Cernech said. “I can’t count how many five and 10 kilometer runs I have done, my hardest five kilometer run being in the mountains in Montana.”

This school year, Cernech hopes to inspire her students to keep learning. She tries her best to make the class as fun as possible for her students and engage them with unique teaching techniques. These techniques include using white boards and analogies to help students develop a greater understanding of math. While she is a math teacher in simple terms, she tries her hardest to make a lasting impact on students’ lives.