Cranford High School has welcomed several new teachers this year, and among them is Mrs. August, who brings almost three decades of experience and a deep love of literature to the English department. With 26 years in education and a drive to connect meaningfully with her students, she is already settling into the CHS community with enthusiasm.
A Long Journey to the High School Classroom
Although she began her career teaching first graders and later spent nearly two decades teaching fifth grade, Mrs. August always felt drawn to working with older students.
“For years I kept thinking, I really prefer teaching older kids,” she said. “I started tutoring high schoolers and realized all I wanted to do was work with them full-time.”
However, the shift to the high school classroom didn’t come without hesitation. “High school can be intimidating – style, popularity, knowing how to connect. It’s very different from first grade, where you bring in a stuffed animal and they love you instantly,” she joked.
But with encouragement from her neighbor, who also happens to be Cranford High School’s beloved librarian, Ms. Szeuluga, she took the leap. “Ms. Szeluga suggested I apply here. That was really the beginning of it all.”
Her Childhood Shaped by Books, Broadway, and a Love of Story
Mrs. August traces her passion for literature back to her father, an avid reader who filled her childhood with stories, history, and theater.
One moment stands out vividly: When her father took her to see Les Misérables on Broadway.
“I was eleven. I didn’t understand everything, so he explained the whole story as we watched,” she remembered. “I asked for the book afterward – little did I know it was 1,200 pages.”
She didn’t finish it in seventh grade; however, she kept the copy. “I guess that was my start in loving classic literature.”
A Classroom Based on Connection
Mrs. August’s teaching philosophy centers on helping students find personal meaning in what they read and write.
“I want kids to find some ownership in what we’re doing and to believe in their abilities,” she said. “Writing and reading are subjective. You have to find your own skills within the subject.”
To keep lessons engaging, she often attempts to connect her assignments to what her students are truly interested in. Recently, she had students rewrite mythology stories in modern slang. “It was hysterical – I was laughing pretty hard,” she said.
Her classroom atmosphere strives to strike a balance between calmness and energy. “I love the calm, coffee-shop vibe,” she explained, “but I also love a healthy debate.”
A Warm Welcome to CHS
Even in her first weeks, Mrs. August quickly noticed the strong sense of community at CHS.
“What struck me most was how open and accepting everyone is,” she said. She recalled watching students and staff join each other outside of CHS to clap for a former student battling cancer. “Moments like that show what a community really is. It made me feel like I’m in the right place.”
Her goals for the year include mastering the curriculum, selecting impactful texts, and introducing “social advocacy book groups,” an idea inspired by fellow teacher Ms. Valessy. “Getting kids to take what they read and turn it into real-world action – that’s incredible,” Ms. August stated.
The People That Inspire Her
If she could invite any author to speak to her class, she would love to hear from Bryan Stevenson, the lawyer and author of Just Mercy, who once worked with her father.
“My dad always said he’s an amazing human,” she said. “I’d love to hear about what he went through fighting for justice.”
Final Thoughts
When asked what she hopes students appreciate most, she didn’t hesitate: “That I’m open to talking anytime: before school, during lunch, after school. I want them to know I’m here.”
As for her teaching style? She describes it in three words: “Energetic, Passionate, Intense.”
With her experience, warmth, and commitment to students, Mrs. August is already making her mark at Cranford High School.
