By ADITI KALE, freshman

IT’S THAT TIME of year again — bewildered students meander the halls, flustered freshmen ask upperclassmen for advice, and unfamiliar faces appear in every classroom. However, to help students feel acquainted with the community, the following new teachers offer a bit of advice and their own personal history: Ms. Biloholowski, Mrs. Marzulla, Mr. Patel, and Ms. Peterson.

Ms. Biloholowski, a Chemistry teacher at JP, is the coach of the boys’ soccer team at Woodrow Wilson Middle School. Prior to joining JP Stevens, she graduated from Cardinal McCarrick High School and Cedar Crest College with a double major in chemistry and secondary education. She enjoys teaching chemistry because it gives students the ability to apply concepts through lab work. For those wanting to achieve success in this course, she advises them to “stick to the notes, do your homework, and relax.”

Mrs. Marzulla, a French teacher, had the opportunity to travel abroad to Paris and London with her language students and even participated in a summer study abroad program in Tours, France. She has been teaching French for 11 years, after graduating from the Douglass College of Rutgers University with a BA in French and a double major in French and German. She also earned an MA in Language Education and an ESL certification. Currently the InterAct Advisor, Mrs. Marzulla had been an advisor of the French club and French Honor Society in her former district. One of her goals is to instill a respect for French culture in all of her students, as a middle school teacher did for her. She encourages her students to “speak French because you can’t be a proficient speaker if you don’t practice and study daily.”

Mr. Patel, a physics teacher, is not only the advisor for the InvenTeam and JPApps Club, but also a JP alum! He was formerly involved in choir with Mrs. Wions and art with Ms. Paolello. At Rutgers University, he earned a major in Physics and minored in Art History, and a graduate degree in Physics Education. He enjoys teaching physics because “[it] is mainly process-based. It’s an interesting subject because it’s more about figuring things out than memorization.” Some guidance as to how to do well in Mr. Patel’s class comes straight from his students. When questioned, the whole class chimed in, saying, “Keep re-submitting [assignments]!”, and “Come after school every day.” His motto is, “Don’t plug and chug,” which reminds students to digest the problem and draw a picture before solving.

Ms. Peterson, a World History teacher, attended Haddonfield Memorial High School and Douglass College of Rutgers University, where she majored in American Studies and American History. She went on to earn a Masters Degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from Rutgers Graduate School of Education. Ms. Peterson draws a similarity between her passion for history and teaching, explaining, “Teaching history is just like story-telling, but the story is always relevant and helps you understand the world.” Ms. Peterson enjoys educating her students about the presidential election, and encourages them to “stay informed about current events.” For students who want to ace her class, she offers a quote by Mary Baker Eddy, “There is no excellence without labor, and the time to work is now.” Ms. Peterson is also serving as a co-advisor for Model United Nations.

To all of our new teachers: Welcome to John P. Stevens!