Stepping into middle school for the first time is hard enough as it is. Meeting new friends and the ordeal of trying to figure out how to work a combination lock all came at once for 6th graders this past Tuesday at Ponderosa Middle School. 

Ponderosa 6th grade teachers eagerly helped the incoming wave of new students who had countless worries on their first day as a middle school student.

Longtime Ponderosa instructor John Najar welcomed students into his advisory classroom hoping to eliminate any doubt and provide calmness to the eager students, though his room of captivating posters and the collection of his Funko Pop! figures are nothing but spectacular.

“If you do not figure out how to work your lock, do not worry, it is something you are going to figure out,” Najar said. “Just do not be like one of my students from before. I gave the student a lock and the poor guy went the entire year without using his locker, without telling me he did not know how to work his lock. Imagine, he carried his books and things with him the entire year.”

New 7th grade instructor Alexander Hernandez welcomed to Ponderosa

Alexander Hernandez is one of the many new staff at Ponderosa Middle School this year. Hernandez, originally from Coos Bay, had full attention of his 7th grade students in his advisory class this past Wednesday after he gave his introduction.

Hernandez earned English and journalism degrees, along with his masters degree in education at the University of Oregon. Hernandez shared how he earned his desire to become a teacher through his high school chemistry instructor but not how one might have thought.

“It is for the money and fame. No, actually. The only reason I am here is because I had a chemistry teacher in high school. Most teachers have this wholesome story of a teacher who was so inspiring, no, he sucked. I did not like him and my brain went to the thought, he is not really good at this, I can do this better,” Hernandez said. “From there I went into working in elementary schools, the YMCA and other afterschool programs and gained experience.”

There are many interesting facts about Hernandez but what might stand out is he owns over 20 cameras, and has come to live in the town where his mom originated from, who is a Henley High School graduate. Hernandez also shared with his class he is a type 1 diabetic, which he was diagnosed with in July of 2007.