Here at Westminster, the family of faculty and staff never stops growing. This year, we welcomed six new teachers to the Middle School, one of which is Clara Jurczak. Jurczak is a 6th and 7th-grade math teacher, teaching pre-algebra to both. Prior to Westminster, Jurczak taught at three different schools in cities all around the country: Pasadena, California; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Augusta, Georgia.

Jurczak’s passion for teaching came from her 8th-grade science teacher, Mr. Perry. “No matter who you were or what your history was . . . [Mr. Perry] had the absolute capability to do what he was asking them to do and he conveyed that belief on a daily basis” says Jurczak. “That’s really something I try to bring into my math classroom . . . the one thing I try to impart to my students is that no matter what I believe in your ability to do the work.” Jurczak believes that all students, especially Westminster’s, have the capability to learn far more than they imagined, and that special spark empowers her teaching

While some teacher’s main passion is the material they teach, Jurczak clarifies that her satisfaction of teaching comes from connecting with her students and hearing about all of their lives. “It’s getting to know students and spending time with students,” says Jurczak. “I love hearing about you guys, your lives, your friends, funny stories, your families.” 

Jurczak says that her main goal at Westminster is to make sure all students of hers work to the best of their abilities. “One thing that has struck me is just how bright and capable [these students] all are, and I think a big part of my job is unlocking those abilities to their fullest potential,” says Jurczak. Ultimately, it is obvious that Ms. Jurczak has strong goals for her teaching, and Westminster is happy to have her.