Morris Area High School welcomes 5 new teachers this school year! These interviews were separately done at different times. 

To begin the first interview, we have Abi interviewing Mr.Haseman: 

Q: Where did you grow up/go to school? 

A: I grew up in Butterfield, Minnesota, a small town in southwest Minnesota. I graduated from High School there, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or what I wanted to be.

Q: Why did you become a teacher

A: I asked my High School Social Studies teacher, and he said, “You should go to Morris!” And I asked him what should I study there? ” And he told me, “Well, you should be a Social Studies teacher!”

Q: How did you end up working here?

A: Well, I went to school here in Morris from 2007 to 2011, then I graduated and worked as a substitute teacher here for a year. Then I worked at Riley Brothers for ten years, I coached college baseball at the college here, and then I worked at Old Castle for a year and a half, which then led me here.

Q: What is your current role in Morris Area Schools?

A: I am a 7th Grade American History and 10th Grade World History Teacher.

Mr.Haseman is really excited about this new chapter of his life. 

Next, we have Jahvon interviewing Mr.Ferriero:

We wanted to get to know more about the new teacher on the block, bringing in a new level of spice and pizzazz, and his name is Joe Ferrieo. So, I asked him a few questions. 

Q: What is it that made you want to teach in Morris specifically?

A: I moved to Morris over 10 years ago. I loved the community and love being a part of it. Morris Area Schools gives me the opportunity to do things with the community and be an active part of what Morris is.

Q: What can we appreciate about you?

A: I love talking to people – especially about science. Also, being a teacher gives me the chance to pass on my passions to my students.

Q: If you had to change the subject you teach, what would it be?
A: Gosh … theater! In the perfect world, I could teach science part of the day and theater the rest, but I also love math.

Q: What is a new way you believe you will impact Morris students?

A: I hope that my enthusiasm for learning rubs off on the students.

Q: How would you describe your teaching style?

A: My teaching style is very interactive. I can do a short lecture, have students participate in a lab, and make an interactive notebook all in one class period.

Q: What five describe you?

A: Grateful, Thankful, Loving, Funny, Friend

Mr. Ferrieo is more than a teacher, he is a mentor, friend, and all around fun person to be around. It’s no longer mojo, it’s officially Mo-Joe. 

Next, we have Angela interviewing Mrs.Borash:

Mrs. Borash is Morris Area High School’s new Ag teacher, as well as one of our new FFA Advisors. She grew up on a farm near Holdingford, MN, was a camp counselor in 4-H, and worked at a zoo giving educational talks, and that all kind of added up to make her interested in Agricultural Education. She went to college at NDSU in Fargo. She was not in FFA growing up, but she did enjoy showing beef cattle, dairy goats, swine, poultry, and rabbits in 4-H. Her favorite Ag Class to teach so far is Intro to Ag with her 8th graders because she gets to teach a little bit about everything in that class. 

Q: What made you want to become an Ag Teacher?

A: I grew up on a farm, and that’s how I got into Agriculture. I was a camp counselor in 4-H, and I worked in the educational program at a zoo, where I fell in love with education. And then the two kind of just meshed together and became Ag Ed.

Q: Where did you go to college?

A: NDSU in Fargo.

Q: Were you in FFA in High School?

A: No.

Q: What was your favorite thing about 4-H then when you were in 4-H?

A: I really liked showing animals, I liked showing and judging them a lot.

Q: What did you show?

A: Beef cattle, dairy goats, swine, poultry, and I showed rabbits for three years, so a little bit of everything.

Q: What’s your favorite Ag class to teach so far?

A: I really like Intro to Ag because you get (to teach) a little bit of everything in that class (with the eighth graders).

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: My family had a farm like 10 minutes out of Holdingford (which is sort of in the middle between Saint Cloud and Little Falls).

Overall, I had a fun time interviewing Mrs. Borash, and I think she will be a great addition to our Ag department.

Following, we have Hana interviewing a familiar face, Mr.Pope: 

Q: Are you still teaching science?

A: Yes, I am still teaching Physics, but I also am a support to the students.

Q: What does that mean? 

A: So REACH is a program that many schools do in many states, the program helps students gain resources to stay on top of their academics.  

Q: Who can be in REACH? 

A: The school counselor, not me, assigns these students to this class.

Q: Where can we find you?

A: I have an office in the high school office, but I also am in the driver’s ed room.  

Q: Where do you see the school’s growth in a few years through REACH?

A: I want to see students grow and use their strengths to build a future. 

We are excited for this new program to grow and to see future students succeed with an extra bust from one of our favorite teachers, Mr. Pope! 

To finish, we have Abi interviewing a new face, Mrs.Murken: 

Q: Where did you go to school?

A: I graduated from University of Minnesota Moorhead in December 1997.

Q: What do you teach?

A: I have a Math Teaching Degree and Coaching Degree

Q: Since when have you been teaching?

A: I’ve been teaching since 1998.

Q: Where have you taught before?

A: I taught at Eden-Valley Watkins, Morris and Alexandria (Discovery Middle School), but I’m excited to be back teaching at Morris.

Q: Any fun facts?

A: I am married to my husband Mike and have 3 grown children: Cody, Elizabeth and Leslie who live south of Starbuck.

Q: What are your favorite hobbies?

A: I enjoy camping, reading, gardening (flowers), being outdoors and with my family.