Geometry teacher Katie Marchese may be a new faculty member here at Nazareth, but she is no stranger to teaching high school mathematics. Marchese said, “This is my 10th year teaching. I have taught low level, average level and honors levels of Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Trigonometry, Statistics, College Algebra, and Pre-Calc.” She also mentioned that Algebra 2 is her favorite subject to teach.
Marchese is entering into her role at Nazareth with a bright outlook on her future here. She aspires to help her students to be less intimidated by the subject by the end of the year.
Throughout these first weeks of school, Marchese has been very pleased with the welcoming environment the faculty, students, and staff at Nazareth create. “So far Naz has been a great experience that I am happy to be part of! Everyone is very friendly, accommodating and respectful,” she said. Nazareth’s goal is to be an inclusive place, and Marchese believes that the school accomplishes just that.
“I remember looking for the M printer to copy something and as I was walking by, a student stopped to help me find it,” she said. Being a new teacher, she believes that having welcoming people around her has allowed her to adjust to the school quickly.
Since the third grade, Marchese had always had an aptitude for math. This is because her engineer parents encouraged her to begin putting more effort towards the subject, believing that she could excel and reach her fullest potential.
A proud alum of Illinois State University, Marchese reflected on her experience as a math major. She said, “If you’re a math major you really fill most of your day with math.” With this education, Marchese hopes to make math a more exciting and understandable subject for her students.
When Marchese is not teaching, she likes spending time with her three daughters Madison, Melanie, and Charlotte. To pass time, the four enjoy participating in the “1,000 hours outside challenge” that they created by either biking or hiking. So, if you don’t find Marchese in the classroom, you’re sure to find her enjoying the outdoors.
