This year the WSHS staff includes many new faces with a wide range of talents and backgrounds.

Mrs. Burke is the newest member of the English Department. She came to West Springfield High School from South Hadley Middle School. Previously, she taught 6th grade ELA for four years, and last year she taught 5th grade math. She feels coming up to the high school gives her the ability to get deeper into the content of the lessons. Her first impression of the high school is that there is a strong focus and willingness to learn here. “I absolutely love it here. I think everyone is so passionate about what they teach and learn and invested in education,” she said.

Mr.Levasseur has quite the interesting background for a high school science teacher. Before coming to WSHS, he taught in Hong Kong for four years and also in Tanzania. More recently he taught in Springfield and now he’s joined the Science Department at WSHS. He loves the culture of the school, and he is impressed by how, “the teachers have everything down to a T.” 

Mr. Meigs taught Physics and Astronomy at Franklin High School before teaching at WSHS.  He also advised the Alzheimer’s Awareness Club and coached JV baseball at Franklin.  “I’m a big fan of how tight knit and welcoming our school is,” he said.  

Not only is Mr.Temple a new history teacher here, but he is also a 2009 alum. Before starting at WSHS, he worked at Michael E. Smith Middle School in South Hadley for three years as a sixth grade Social Studies teacher. He said he couldn’t be happier with the position he is in as he returns to work with some of the same teachers and mentors he had as a student. “It’s been wonderful so far,” he said. 

Before Mrs. Taylor came to WSHS to teach chorus, she taught K-5 at Sabis International School in Springfield for five years. She also taught private voice and piano lessons for the past six years out of a studio at her house. This year she will not only be teaching chorus but will be helping out with directing for the drama club’s fall play and the musical this spring. This school is quite a change but one change that she is loving. “I love the sense of community between students and the staff.It’s something I’m excited to be a part of,” she said.