Teaching – The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love

olympia teacher certificate program
Chad Stussy initially wanted to be teacher but opted for a career as a biologist first.
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By Laurie O’Brien

olympia teacher certificate program
Chad Stussy initially wanted to be teacher but opted for a career as a biologist first.

Most teachers come to the profession straight out of college. They make the decision to enter the classroom because they have a passion for working with kids. Others take a more circuitous route. They discover a taste for sharing knowledge a little later in life. Take, for example, Melissa and Chad Stussy, science teachers at Tumwater High School.

The married couple, who, oddly enough, first met when they were students at the high school where they currently teach, had college degrees and jobs in other fields before making a career change to teaching. One at a time, each completed the Secondary Teacher Alternate Route (STAR) Program at Saint Martin’s University. In a year’s time, both husband and wife earned their secondary teaching certification.

According to Dr. Ann Gentle, Ph.D., the STAR Program Director, “Each was the right fit for the program. They knew they wanted to be in the classroom.”

Melissa Stussy earned her certification first. After receiving both a B.S. and an M.S. in Nutrition and Food Science from Central Washington University, Melissa worked a variety of jobs involving individual and group nutritional consulting, counseling and meal planning for at-risk populations. Most of those jobs involved education at some level, and she even taught for a while at South Puget Sound Community College. The choice to move into the classroom fulltime seemed like a natural step. “My favorite part of my job as a dietitian was education, so I decided I wanted to just focus on that,” she says.

Like his wife, Chad Stussy attended Central where he earned a B.S. in Biology. “Initially, when I started my undergraduate program at CWU, I had intended to go into education to become a teacher.  As time progressed while at CWU, I drifted away from the education route,” he says.

tumwater teacher
Tumwater High School teacher, Melissa Stussy, moved into the classroom about ten years ago, after a career as a dietitian.

However, during his career as a biologist with various public and private entities, including the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Chad says there was always a lingering desire to be a teacher.  So, a couple of years after his wife completed her certification program, Chad took a year and earned his secondary teaching license, too.

Special Education, Math, Science, English Language Learners (ELL), and Humanities: Those are the teaching areas with the highest demand, according to Gentle. Applicants with degrees or real-world experience in those areas are a great fit for the STAR Program. Given their resumes and the secondary endorsements they received, Melissa and Chad were able to find teaching positions almost immediately after completing their programs. Melissa has been teaching for 10 years, the past nine of them at Tumwater High School. Chad spent one year at North Thurston High School before moving to THS five years ago. Melissa teaches chemistry while Chad teaches physical science and biology.

While they lack teaching certification, everyone who enters the STAR Program must have a bachelor’s degree and at least one year of experience in the workforce. Some have advanced degrees, including at the doctorate level, but if a candidate doesn’t already have an advanced degree, a Master’s in Teaching (MIT) track is available. “People who know they want to be in the classroom are ready for an intense ‘honors like’ program to reach their goal,” says Gentle.  Classes for the STAR Program begin in June at Saint Martin’s and all course work, including student teaching and internships, are completed by the following May.

olympia teaching certificate
Tumwater High School teacher, Chad Stussy, returned to Saint Martin’s University to earn his teaching certificate.

Gentle tells a story of one recent STAR participant, an engineer with a specialty in robotics.  “He is now working in a local school district, teaching his special interest. Beyond that, he assists teachers in other school districts wanting to get a robotics program started.” Nothing beats doing what you love.

Melissa and Chad Stussy are happy with their career changes, too.  Although there have been some hurdles along the way, “I love teaching – most days – and have enjoyed being involved in the lives of so many kids in our community,” says Melissa.  For Chad, it’s all about making a connection with his students, “…not just with content but shaping them into being good citizens for our community.” As he says, “It’s the toughest job I have ever had and the most intrinsically rewarding.”

Gentle encourages anyone in the community who may be interested in the STAR Program to attend an informational meeting on April 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Worthington Conference Center at Saint Martin’s University. It will be an opportunity for those who may be interested to see if the program would work for them.

If you are unable to attend the meeting but would like more information, she invites you to call 360-438-4566 with questions or to read about the STAR Program.

 

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