Mrs. Amy Ahl will be teaching PLTW Biomed Pathway. She used to teach seventh grade science at Saluda Trail Middle
School in Rock Hill, but she loves the positive energy of Nation Ford and the students’ willingness to help each other out.
She likes to teach because it gives her an opportunity to share her passion about science with students and open their minds to career choices they might not otherwise consider, which is one of her goals for the 2019-2020 school year.
Her favorite movie is “Hope Floats,” and some of her hobbies are traveling, running, reading, and most importantly, watching Netflix.
She has two daughters, one in college, and one in her senior year of high school. She also has a dog named Comet. --Kristen Knauff
After many years working night shifts in a hospital, April Annin found herself wanting a more convenient work schedule. She joined the Nation Ford this fall, and this is her first school nursing job.
She looks forward to growing relationships and providing a safe place for students to come whenever they need help.
Substituting at Nation Ford last year gave her a good impression of both the staff and students, she said.
Annin’s main goal this year is to get to know those she’s working with as well as the students she treats. She wants students to know that her office is a casual and safe place to come to.
She has three children, and two are students in the Fort Mill School District.
Outside of school, she enjoys watching romantic comedies and has a passion for mission trips. Most recently, she was a mission leader in Uganda. --Kaylee Battle
You may hear a cheerful “Hola!” echo in the halls thanks to one new addition to the NFHS family, Spanish teacher Sandra Bell.
Mrs. Bell can be found upstairs in room C-510 teaching Spanish 1 and taking time during FLEX to tutor.
“Although being new is fun and all,” Mrs. Bell said, “it’s very different from the virtual world.”
Mrs. Bell first started teaching using the Virtual school platform. On this platform she would email students their homework or virtually teach them their lessons.
“It’s hard teaching that way because you don’t get that needed human interaction,'' Bell said.
Her first impression of Nation Ford was that the school is welcoming, like a family. “[The school] is huge!!” she added.
Her hobbies include reading in french, sombia classes, walks with her husband and her two year old pug named Max, and travelling to different places such as Matute in Spain and Paris, France.
“The one thing I'm most looking forward to?” said Mrs. Bell. “This school year!, It’s gonna end with a bang.” -- Layla Washington
After teaching at Rock Hill High School for 12 years, James Blankenship now teaches Biology I and Biology II at Nation Ford.
His passion for teaching comes from his love for seeing others learn under his guidance, he says. His describes his students as very talented, and he says he is impressed by how willing they are to learn.
His goals for the school year are to encourage students by demonstrating successful ways to learn, and he wants to meet new people and create friendships. He looks forward to becoming a part of the Nation Ford Family.
He enjoys traveling and has been to several countries, both with and without students.
He and his wife of 32 years have one daughter who is 28-years-old.
He wants his students know that he loves science, and his door is always open for those who need help. -- Kaylee Battle
Mr. Bruce Case worked as a substitute teacher for two years. Now he works in the Special Services Department at Fort Mill High School in the mornings. and then at Nation Ford High School from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mr. Case also has experience working in the business industry with Fruit Of The Loom.
“Nation Ford is the best school I’ve subbed at, the culture here is fabulous,” he said.
His favorite movie to watch is “The Town” with his two daughters and wife. His favorite hobbies are golf, tennis, and basketball.-- Ryan Nguyen
The newest CATE teacher, Ashleigh Conteh, is cooking it up with students in her culinary arts classes. Mrs. Conteh teachers both Culinary Arts and Food and Nutrition.
Before coming to Nation Ford, she taught at Wade Hampton High School for eight years, and then Northwestern High School for two years.
“Nation Ford seems very close knit, and everyone is so friendly and engaged,” she said.
This year at Nation Ford, Mrs. Conteh hopes to grow her Culinary Arts classes, and work closely with the FCCLA, or Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.
“I have always wanted to help students reach their next step of adulthood.”
When she’s not teaching her classes, Mrs. Conteh enjoys pastimes such as sewing, painting, and traveling.
Her favorite movie is “The Color Purple,” based off of the novel by Alice Walker.
She lives with her husband and son, and one betafish, two catfish, and a snail that her son takes care of.
She is very excited for their school year, and can’t wait to get to know her students better. -- Kaiden Bridges
Mrs. Megan DeLena teaches Accounting and Personal Finance. She attended Pottsgrove High School in Pottsgrove, Pa. She enjoys everyday interactions with her students and is interested in all types of business topics.
She says her first impressions of Nation Ford were very good, and everyone has been extremely helpful.
Mrs DeLena plans to have a fun, productive, successful year and to prepare her students for success.
She has been married for 30 years and has two children.
She enjoys all of the “Toy Story” movies, and is an avid runner, participating in 27 marathons and seven ultra marathons. -- Jay Androitis
Mr. Anthony Forte, the new High School 101 teacher, says he’s enjoyed Nation Ford since the first day.
He previously taught at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, NC and Clinton Elementary in Lancaster, SC, and he finds teaching rewarding because he can see students progress and see his former students in college.
When he’s not teaching, Mr. Forte coaches the wrestling team. He hopes to help the team move up a level in their overall performance.
He has a wife and two daughters, Carmen Rose, 7, and Natalie, 5.
He loves to grill, and his favorite movie is “Without Limits”.-- Ansley Archuleta
Coming from South Florence High School, Mrs. Melissa Fulmore teaches a wide variety of computer related classes, including Computer Programming, IBA, and Animation.
She loves teaching and is inspired to continue due to her love for kids, specifically high schoolers as she wants to prepare her students for college.
Transitioning South Florence High School to Nation Ford High School has been incredibly welcoming, and she greatly appreciates the familial environment, she says.
For this year, she hopes to use her knowledge and skills to help students progress towards their futures while simultaneously growing with them.
She’s married with four children and five grandchildren. She enjoys The Wizard of Oz -- her favorite movie, as well as reading, walking, and engaging in Bible study. -- Connor Brandenburg
Mr. Thessalonia Graham is the new chorus teacher at Nation Ford. He taught at Fairfield High for three years before coming to Nation Ford. Mr. Graham is inspired to teach because he wants to help students appreciate and learn more about choral music.
His first impression of Nation Ford was that there is a sense of family among the facility and staff. He wants to be able to create opportunities for musically literate students.
He likes to watch movies, travel and eat. -- Maggie Kell
After the big jump from teaching kindergartners and first graders, Mrs. Kimberly Hanlon will work with the special needs students at Nation Ford this year.
Mrs. Hanlon has experience assisting students with special needs.
“I enjoy being able to help them learn the life skills,” she said. “They bring a lot of joy to my heart.”
Mrs. Hanlon is married and has four children. “I have one that’s a senior in college, one that’s a sophomore in college, one just moved in to college in Ohio, and I have a senior at Fort Mill High.“
In her free time, Mrs. Hanlon enjoys many activities. “I love spending time with family,” she said. “I like nature, I like to kayak, I like to hike, my family, and I like to play board games, and I love to read.”
She has worked as a substitute teacher at Nation Ford for the past three years. “I love being here at NaFo.” She said. “I think it has a great sense of community and a great sense of school spirit, and I really enjoy being apart of the NaFo family.” -- Grace Asaad
New sports medicine teacher and athletic trainer Najee Harris came to Nation Ford High School from J and Fries Magnet School in Cabarrus County.
She came looking to educate people about sports medicine and to reach out to future athletic trainers to educate them more about the profession. She wants to expand the Sports Medicine program and wants more people to join and know about it.
“I was an undergrad at Winthrop and did my clinical retention at Nation Ford, and I was a student athletic trainer, so when I first came here I liked it,” she said. “It’s really big and I like the atmosphere here and everyone is really nice.”
Mrs.Harris is married, loves to read and explore restaurants, try different food, and sleep in her spare time. -- Zaria Drakeford
Mrs. Rhonda Hill joins the English Department this year. She strives to help students use their voices in literature through writing and verbal communication.
Originally, she taught English 1-AP at Piedmont High School in Union County. This fall semester, she teaches English IV Honors and English II CP.
Coming from a small school, she found Nation Ford is a big change for her in both the school itself and the student body.
She has two children: a son, Griffin, and a daughter, Ella, who has recently became a middle-school teacher in Salem, Boston.
She commutes almost an hour from home in Charlotte. She enjoys baking sweet treats and enjoying Southern novels. -- Khonnie Kounbandith
Coach David Johnson joins Nation Ford as the assistant athletic director and quarterback coordinator. He also teaches sociology, a course he makes interactive for students.
At home, he helps his wife take care of their 10-month old daughter, Callen.
In his free time, Coach Johnson spends time with his family and enjoys the great outdoors. His favorite movie is 2008 comedy, “Stepbrothers.” -- Colin Hoover
From chorus to guidance, Megan Keller transferred to Nation Ford. From South Pointe High School where she taught for five years before she joined the Falcon family.
“I like to teach, but music is my passion,” said. When she was teaching chorus, she had many students come to her with their problems. She was able to help, but she came to the realization that she wanted to help more students one-on-one, so she became a counselor. The first thing she noticed at Nation Ford was our school culture.
“The school is very clean, and all the students and faculty are very respectful,” she said.
She hopes that this school year flows smoothly, and that she gets to engage with her students more and gets to know her fellow faculty.
When she’s not at school helping her students, she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking as well as hanging out with her friends. At home she lives with her two cats, Chessie and Lavender. Two of her favorite movies are “The Greatest Showman” and the newest “Lion King.” -- Kaiden Bridges
Assistant Principal Lindsey Marino came from Texas after teaching there for five years.
She is excited for this school year because it gives her an opportunity to work with more students, families, and more people in general.
When she first arrived at Nation Ford High School, she noticed and appreciated the family culture.
Her goals for this school year are to get to know everyone and to learn the traditions at Nation Ford.
Outside of school, she spends time with her three children, and she loves to read. She is excited for this school year and is looking forward to learning new things, she said. --Alyssa Martin
Allison Tracy-Mchenry is a teacher with 12 years of experience and will work with special needs students. She likes to teach a class involving special settings to show that students with disabilities have more potential than people think they do.
“I remember driving into Nation Ford with the traffic light and the little roundabout -- it seemed like a little college campus,” she said.
Mrs. Mchenry wants to give her students the opportunity to shine in not only school but also in life experiences.
She likes to watch documentaries to learn new things. She lives with her husband in South Carolina and the rest of her family resides in New York.-- Ryan Nyguen
Mrs. Anne Murray teaches Algebra I CP and II Honors. She attended Clemson University. After teaching at Rock Hill High School for 29 years, and four years elsewhere.
Mrs. Murray found her passion for teaching when she was younger while helping her sister with school, and she now does the same for her two children.
Mrs. Murray's first impression of Nation Ford was how kind everyone was to her. Nation Ford is different than Rock Hill High, so she is trying to adjust, she said.
In her free time, she loves to watch Tiger football games, and her favorite movie is “Sixteen Candles.” -- Alyssa Martin
The new instructor for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) is Ms. Cornelia Okraski.
She is pursuing a PhD. at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte after earning an undergraduate degree from Queens University in Charlotte. She started teaching at a high school in Florida before coming to Nation Ford.
Ms. Okraski says she loves being around teenagers and seeing her students become bilingual. Her first impression of Nation Ford was the positive learning environment and the nice people, she said.
In her free time you might see her reading or outdoors, and she loves traveling to the Caribbean and to Europe. -- Miranda Wallace
Preethi Ramasamy is one of the new additions to the science faculty this year at Nation Ford. She teaches both biology and environmental science.
Before joining the staff at Nation Ford, she was a substitute in the district. “I enjoy helping the students who are going to be the ones shaping our future, and I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others,” she said.
Her goals this school year include helping all of her students pass with a 75 percent or greater in her class. She also wants to help make sure none of them lag behind in school or ethically.
“My first impression here at Nation Ford was how great the faculty is,” she said. “The network is very strong. The students are also well behaved.”
Mrs. Ramasamy lives with her husband and two children. She enjoys art and working in her garden, but she also loves to eat and sleep. Her favorite movie produced in India titled “96.” -- Kaiden Bridges
Coach Robyn Stockuna is the PE teacher for the freshman class and she also superves study hall in D 511 during Flex.
Stockuna in her 18 years as an educator has worked at four schools and taught hundreds of students.
Her favorite movies are the Dark Knight Trilogy, and she roots for the Clemson Tigers.
In her free time, she works out at 9Round and spends her summer at the beach.
This school year, she hopes to connect with her students and be a good role model. She wants to make fitness fun while at the same time promoting a healthy lifestyle. -- Colin Hoover
With a strong passion for inclusion and making students feel safe at school, Jack Whittemore is committed to make Nation Ford a positive and welcoming school for students. His 30 years of teaching, most recently in the Charlotte Mecklenburg school system, demonstrate his dedication to education.
He believes teaching students is where he belongs, and along with teaching math, he looks forward to advocating for LGBTQA+ lives through sponsoring the Safe Zone club.
Upon visiting Nation Ford, he was impressed by respectful the staff and students. He lives with his partner, and Mr. Whittemore has a large, close-knit extended family.
He enjoys watching romantic comedies and collects hot air balloon figurines. -- Kaylee Battle
Although this is Mr. Marshal Woody’s first year as assistant band director at NaFo, it’s not his first year working at the school. Back in 2007 when the school opened, he was already helping the marching band. What he loves about Nation Ford is the family atmosphere and student leadership. He says it’s exciting to get to work with an accomplished band.
“I like to see the difference I can make in someone’s life,” he said.
He and his wife have a child, and another one on the way. When he’s not at school, you can find him watching Star Wars movies, kayaking, hiking, or camping.-- Ansley Archuleta
Mrs. Elizabeth Yagatilee, the new U.S. History instructor, enjoys helping students realize who they want to be in life.
Her first impression of NFHS is that it’s a large school with many friendly people.
She has a lot of experience behind her. From teaching at Allendale Fairfax High in Fairfax, S.C, to W.J. Keenan High in Columbia, S.C., and St. Gabriel School in Louisville, Ky.
She and her husband have a two year-old son.
Her favorite movie is ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ an old Christmas favorite. She enjoys many hobbies, including crocheting, walking in the woods, knitting, sewing, and making crafts. -- Megan Jafarace