Mrs. Marquis

• What’s your favorite thing about working at PHS?
• My favorite thing about working at PHS is all the optimistic kids in the building. I love working in an optimistic atmosphere with a great team of teachers and students.
• What’s your favorite movie/book/music artist, and why? 
• My favorite book is Northwest Passage because I love reading about history. It was especially interesting because I read it in highschool while on a family vacation to the place the book takes place.
• What is/are your favorite hobby/hobbies? 
• I am glad you did not ask for my least favorite hobbies! My favorite hobby is spending time with family, specifically my granddaughter. I am able to get quality time with my family outdoors while working my produce business. Overall, I just love being outside. I also enjoy reading and knitting.
• What’s your biggest pet peeve?
• My biggest pet peeve is when people say they will do something and they don’t follow through and actually do it.
• What are some things you look forward to each year? 
• Each year, I look forward to meeting new kids in my classes and meeting the new freshman class. I also look forward to watching juniors and seniors’ growth after the summer, and how they come back ready to become upperclassmen. It’s great to see them develop and grow as they approach graduation.

Mrs. Crowe

• What’s your favorite thing about working at PHS?
• My favorite thing about working at PHS is the kids. I enjoy getting to know anyone I can and encouraging and helping them in any way I can. 
• What’s your favorite movie/book/music artist, and why? 
• My favorite book is one I read my senior year of high school called, All Creatures Great and Small. This is my favorite because it encouraged and inspired me to go to college and work hard to serve other people. It was a motivator for me in my life. 
• What is/are your favorite hobby/hobbies? 
• My favorite hobbies are cooking and sewing. 
• What’s your biggest pet peeve?
• I could not think of a specific pet peeve, but rather I wish for myself and for other people to have more gratitude. By expressing gratitude to other people we are able to achieve a happier mindset.
• What are some things you look forward to each year? 
• Each year, I look forward to the freshman because it is so interesting to see their new faces, and they bring a whole new class of kids to the school. Initially, they come into high school a little nervous, but I am able to see their growth and how they became more comfortable up to, and through, their senior year.

Coach Ciesielski

• Was there ever a teacher you knew or still know that changed your life? How? 
• Yeah, my shop teacher. He turned me into a shop teacher. He was also my wrestling coach. 
• If you could meet anyone you wanted, living or dead, who would it be, and why? 
• John Wayne because he’s a true American. 
• What are some things you’ve noticed are different between high school now and when you went?
• The students. They just don’t try as hard as they used to. They were raised different. I’m a byproduct of the 60s and 70s, it was different for me. 
• When you were in high school, what was important to you?
• Football and weightlifting. Building trades was my favorite class. It took half a day for each class period, and it was a hard class to get into. You had to have good grades. We got to build houses all year. 
• If there was any place in the world you could go, where would it be? 
• Iceland. Because my girlfriend’s from there. Plus, it’s a real cool island. It’s volcanic and they have a lot of strange foods there. 

Mr. Ohlson

• What are some things that you’ve noticed are different between high school now and high school when you went?

• Resilience and how busy students’ lives are now.  Many of the challenges I faced in high school, pales in comparison to what students endure today and high school life seemed to move at a slower pace then compared to now.

• Was there ever a teacher you knew or still know that changed your life? How?

• Yes, that is an easy one, Coach Roger Lowe, he challenged me and others to work hard everyday, be disciplined and organized in all aspects, never to be satisfied with what you have done, grow and become a better person, treat everyone with respect that they have earned, be loyal to those who are loyal to you, and to be a teammate, no matter if it is in life, sports, work, or at home.

• Were you in any clubs in high school?

• Sportsmans club and played 3 sports (Football, Basketball, and Track) all through high school.

• What’s your favorite story or memory you can think of about something that has happened in your time working here?

• My first day of school here at PHS in the 15-16 school year. It brought back many of my PHS high school memories from 1988 and my first day at PHS as a freshman. Still to this day, when I walk the halls, when I enter a room or walk by an area of the school, a memory of my high school years will come back to me.

• If you could meet anyone you wanted, living or dead, who would it be, and why?

• My Grandfather on my father’s side. He died when I was 6 months old and I never had an opportunity to know and build a relationship with him as I did my other grandfather. I have heard amazing things about him and would have loved to know him personally instead of stories.

Mr. Passmore

• What is your favorite memory or story you can think of about something that has happened in your time working here?
• There are many, but the first favorite memory that came to mind is directing my last musical at the high school. The show was unconventional, incredibly funny, and I felt a great sense of accomplishment putting together a production with such a talented, quirky, and diverse group of actors. Of the shows I’ve directed so far, that has been the one that stands out as a tremendous success and also the one that gave me the most satisfaction.
• What is/are your favorite hobby/hobbies?
• I enjoy writing, reading, etc. (many people might find that boring) as well as binge watching a variety of movies and shows on Netflix, but my favorite hobby/activity is once again golf. I was fairly ambivalent toward the sport for a few years until I got involved in coaching. It recharged my interest in playing and I feel like I’m able to better articulate swing thoughts and instruction techniques now that I’m becoming more immersed in the sport.
• What sports did you play in high school and college?
• I didn’t play any sports in high school since I was fairly burned out after playing multiple sports during junior high. I did get involved in my college’s swim program and was a distance swimmer for the swim team its final year. After that, I realized that one year of collegiate competition was more than enough for me.
• What is your biggest pet peeve?
• If you ask any of my former students you would find that having to repeat myself ranks pretty high up there. A bigger one, however, is probably when I see a student not trying or caring. It’s a tragedy that doesn’t have to play out and also the one thing that students have the greatest amount of control over if they just put forth some effort.
• If there is any place in the world that you could go, where would it be and why?
• I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland as I have a real affinity for Irish culture and history. That said, I would also love to visit Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, and Lithuania because my grandfather was from there.
• What is your favorite childhood memory? Why?
• My favorite childhood memory was the two weeks that my brother and I would stay with other grandparents in Mendota during the summer. It was a really relaxed time where we would wake up-I kid you not- to the smell of chocolate chip cookies every morning and, later, be entertained by stories our grandparents would tell in the evening. In between, my brother and I were left to our own devices and we would find plenty to do in and around the town. Every night, my grandfather, who worked at the printing press, would come home, wash up (he always smelled like a mix of printer ink and Zest soap), and we’d eat a fairly traditional Lithuainian dinner. Then, we’d stay up really late, drink cocoa and eat crackers and peanut butter with my grandfather, and watch the late show before heading off to bed. This is my favorite memory because it was the time of the summer my brother and I looked forward to most. We knew how predictable it would be but it didn’t matter as we adored our grandparents and they made it feel new every time we went to visit.

Mrs. Judd

• What is your favorite thing about working at PHS?

Working with amazing students and staff, especially the ladies in the math department.

• What is your favorite childhood memory? Why? 

Playing softball every weekend and all summer long. I got to travel with my family and play softball at the same time. The best of both worlds!

• If there was any place in the world that you could go, where would it be? 

Hawaii

• What’s your biggest pet peeve?

When kids need to show their work on an assignment and they tell me they did it in their head

• If there was anything you could change about your experiences here, what would it be and why?

Teaching remotely from home last March and not getting to finish the year with my students in person. Kids need to be in school, that is where I feel they learn the best. 

• Were you in any clubs in high school?

Math club, Spanish club, Key club, Class officer, Student council, National Honor Society, Volleyball, Basketball and Softball. 

Mrs. Hoster

• What’s your favorite thing about working at PHS?

My favorite thing about working at PHS is having a schedule that works for my children at home as well as getting to know them better as individuals through the students they spend time with at school. 

• What is/are your favorite hobby/hobbies?

I am a true earth child, I love hiking, camping, canoeing, and motorcycle rides. There is a little irony there thought because I am allergic to basically anything found outdoors. 

• What are some things that you’ve noticed are different between high school when you went and high school now? 

The most obvious thing between PHS from 1996-2000 and now is the schedule and lack of study halls as well as students were allowed open campus. 

• If you had one hour to live, what would you do, why would you do it, and who would you do it with?

If I had one hour to live assuming that we could time travel, I would take my children and grandchildren to Stone Mountain to redo our not so perfect vacations and share with them my fondest memories. 

• What are some things you look forward to each year?

I love fireworks! I look forward to the fourth of July every year because my family is spread out all over the country and travel is easier in nice weather so we had better luck getting together over the summer instead of during the holidays. 

Mrs. Reeverts

• What’s your biggest pet peeve and why?

My biggest pet peeve I see at school is some students giving up on themselves. Each student has special gifts, and I feel we educators can assist in recognizing those gifts for the student. The problem I see is the student shutting the door for assistance from the teachers.

• What’s your favorite childhood memory?

My favorite childhood memory takes me back to the early years where my four siblings and I spent the daylight hours totally outdoors (when not in school). Watching our one black and white TV was a treat, a reward. Homework was done immediately after school. We were anxious to get outdoors and join the ongoing baseball game playing down the street. Mom would ring the dinner bell. Yes, we really did have one, and we’d all hurry home for supper. I loved those active, carefree days.

• If you had three wishes, what would they be and why?
• My first wish is, no doubt, to get rid of this COVID outbreak. The reason is obvious. My second wish is for a more united country. The reason is that this unrest is quite disturbing. My third wish is for each person I know to be granted one wish to be used wisely. The reason is why not share in the prize!
• If you could be anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
• I don’t have a desire to go anywhere out of the country yet. There is so much yet to see in our country. Being in nature and being away from large groups of people interest me. The Glacial National Park in Montana is a place on my vacation list. I look forward to the scenery on a good hike.
• What’s your favorite story or memory you’ve made in your time working here?
• This is my eleventh year at PHS. I have worked with many wonderful students but one particular student comes to mind. This student wanted to work with me early before school on most mornings. She got help with classes she struggled with and had the determination to keep on learning even when she knew she had to work harder than most. She was once homeless and had lived away from her family. She is now an adult with a Masters in Social Work and with a job she loves as she makes a difference in others’ lives. I am so proud of her accomplishments and her success.
• If you could change anything about PHS, what would it be?
• Once the COVID outbreak is under control and the plastic bags are off the drinking fountains, can we have new drinking fountains…please?!

Ms. Wagner

• What’s your favorite movie/book/music artist, and why? 
• All of the Harry Potter books. I have read them so many times, and I still love them.

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

• What’s your biggest pet peeve?
• Poor table manners. 
• What is your favorite childhood memory? Why?
• My favorite childhood memories are all of the family vacations we went on. My siblings and I still laugh about how much fun we had together on our annual vacations.
• What are some things you look forward to each year? 
• I always look forward to Tiny Tigers. It is so rewarding seeing the students in CCO grow and develop as teachers over the course of the school year as well as seeing the preschoolers and how much they change. They are definitely a bright spot!
• Was there ever a teacher you knew or still know that changed your life? How? 
• I have had so many great teachers in my life. One in particular is Mrs. Youngren. I never had her as a teacher but I grew up around her and she is someone who made me believe in myself as an educator. 

Mr. Sinclair

• When you were in high school, did you know what you wanted to be as an adult?  

• When I was in high school I wanted to be a veterinarian. I worked as a vet tech in high school and college, but quickly realized in college that I wanted to be a teacher. I was a part time tutor at my university and I really enjoyed teaching other students about science. Coaching sports was also another great motivator for getting into teaching.

• What is/are your hobby/hobbies? 

• All things sports, camping, and fishing. 

• What sports did you play in high school or college? Did you play any sports? 

• In high school, I played soccer and basketball all four years. My senior year, I was a kicker on the football team where we ended up getting second in state. In college, I played soccer at Millikin University all 4 years. 

• What’s your biggest pet peeve? 

• When people make excuses. 

• If you could meet anyone you wanted, living or dead, who would it be, and why? 

• Charles Darwin. I would love to have a conversation with him about his contribution to all the discoveries he made in the science world. 

• If there was any place in the world that you could go, where would it be? 

• Giraffe Manor in Kenya. 

• What’s your favorite movie/book/artist and why? 

• The Pursuit of Happiness. It is a great, true story about how anyone can reach inconceivable goals with hard work and determination.