Astronomy teacher and teacher advisor Josh Bloom stepped up to fill the position of Science Department Instructional Supervisor, and is looking forward to the year in his new position.

According to Bloom, previous IS Michelle Steingart relinquished her position in order to spend more time with her family, leaving an open slot for Bloom to step into.

“Steingart did an excellent job as IS, so I had big shoes to fill,” Bloom said.

The science teacher is still transitioning into his new position and figuring out just what it means to be an IS.

“Being IS is a different kind of challenge than teaching,” Bloom said. “Unlike teaching, for which you can plan most of what will be happening that day, there is a lot less you can plan as IS. … Much of the job involves communicating with concerned individuals – students, parents, teachers, administration.  This requires the ability to listen, to empathize and to state your position clearly while at the same time being open to change or compromise when it is appropriate.”

Bloom, however, does not have to undertake this new challenge alone.

“While I am a leader in my department, I am not the department,” Bloom said. “I am a representative for all the teachers in the science department, and it is my job to work and consult with all the teachers in the department so that I can best represent them.”

Working with the rest of the science department, Bloom has already begun to compile a list of goals for the year to help both teachers and students alike.

“My goals this year are to help teachers and students adjust to the coming Common Core standards and assessments, to support and encourage deep reflection and growth as we go through WASC [Western Association of Schools and Colleges], and support the teachers in my department to provide the most rewarding experiences for our students as well as for themselves,” he said. “Happy students make happy teachers, and happy teachers make happy students.  Learning is a journey we all go on together, and so we have to work together to bring out the best in each other.”