My heart ached and tears swelled after learning Glen Rock and I would be saying goodbye to beloved gym teacher and friend to all, Mrs. Susan Sileo due to her retirement. After spending over 30 years of teaching at our high school, Mrs. Sileo finally decided it was time for her to take her leave. While she will be missed dearly, I got the wonderful opportunity to introduce myself to the highschools new gym teacher, Mrs. Alexa Nie.
Mrs. Nie began as a student here in Glen Rock. She mentions that her schoolwork took a backseat for the majority of her 4 years, while ice hockey was front and center. “I.. kinda tried to do the minimum in school because I was an athlete outside of school. It took me until junior year for me to realize why it’s important to do well in school”. She continued her athletic career after high school and played hockey at Suny Oswego, even going on to play ice hockey professionally for 5 years in Toronto, then on the Metropolitan Riveters, followed by the Connecticut Whale and more.
Mrs. Nie thought she knew where she wanted her academic career and eventual professional career to take her. Initially majoring in linguistics, she later switched to health and wellness management and graduated with that major. While playing in Toronto, she wanted to study in a sports psychology program but simply couldn’t find one anywhere near her. She realized she wanted to try life coaching before almost instantly changing her mind, turning right back around, and landing in health and physical education.
Being so passionate about athletics her entire life, Nie spent a lot of time with her coach and mentor, Mrs. Dowell. She beautifully explained the strong impact that Dowell had on her work ethic, morals, and even her decision to teach physical education. ‘She kinda was able to help me become who I am today…” Nie said. “she has been my mentor, so she has been someone I’ve leaned on for advice or anything I needed outside of school.”
Mrs. Nie is not the only person who feels this way; listening to her explain how much Dowell meant to her made me think of my own experience with my wrestling coach and mentor Corey Fitzpatrick, and how much he changed me as a student, athlete, and man in general.
On top of that, Mrs. Sileo’s departure also marks the exit of many current students mentors. The role of a gym teacher has revealed itself to me as more influential than I previously thought, and the teachers in this position have a lot more impact on their students than they might realize.
After meeting with Mrs. Nie now, she presents herself as ready to capitalize on this opportunity to become a mentor herself. She encompasses all the values and ideals of a memorable coach/mentor, highlighting the importance of going easy on your mentees.
“I first and foremost plan to give back to what has given me so much. My main goal, as a teacher, is to help kids realize that high school doesn’t define them and high school kids don’t need to have everything figured out right now.”
My tears have been wiped away and my heartache subsided, because I know that the hole Mrs. Sileo will be leaving in the department that will be filled with a respectable, intelligent, and driven individual in the form of Mrs. Nie.
