Pen Argyl Welcomes New Faculty to the Team

A big part of Pen Argyl HIgh School is the community, and King wants a part in that. She said, “I am excited to get to know the students and staff more and support the Green Knights at their games, shows, and performances!” 

King wants to share her creativity with the students of Pen Argyl and build their confidence while doing so, which is why she was inspired to teach art. “There is a strong sense of community here- the level of student involvement and initiative makes me a proud member of the school community,” said King. 

She hopes students remember to “trust the process and embrace the challenges that come with learning new things and techniques.” 

King hopes to connect, inspire, and grow the young creators of Pen Argyl.

Wolf aims to build confidence and creativity in her students, as well as making math “more interesting and hands-on than just memorizing steps.” 

Stepping into the shoes of Guidance Office Secretary, Kristy Zaleski is a familiar face in the district. She has worked at the Pen Argyl School District for 6 years now, and was formerly a paraprofessional at Plainfield Elementary and the Special Education/Guidance Secretary at Wind Gap Middle School. 

Zaleski said, “I am very excited to take on this new role” and is “honored to take the place of someone who was such an important part of the High School for so many years,” regarding Mary Kessler who has recently retired. 

She feels very connected to the school district, saying “I am fortunate to have made some great friendships with staff in every school that continue regardless of which building I’m in.” 

Her goal at Pen Argyl is to “become someone that can help them with planning for their future by providing transcripts, college information, scholarship information, employment opportunities etc.” Zaleski also wants to become a familiar face that everyone can come to for any type of support in the guidance office. 

The former assistant principal, Amber Krisukas, took over leadership at Plainfield Elementary School and was replaced by Nicole Ryan, a former fourth grade teacher at the middle school.

Ryan is stepping into this new and challenging role, and hopes to give students the best opportunities, care, and advice as possible. 

“I am excited to make a difference and help students figure out their paths for after school,” she said. Her biggest ambition for the students of Pen Argyl is to “make sure they all succeed and end up crossing the stage senior year.”

There’s a few differences between teaching at the middle school and high school, which Ryan commented on, saying “I had the opportunity to work with younger students and focus on developing fundamental and foundational skills. In high school, our students have already developed many of those skills, which allows me to focus on helping our students grow as individuals and prepare for their futures.” Ryan gets to see students grow into themselves and their futures, which is something she enjoys about this new role.

She feels welcomed into the role of assistant principal at Pen Argyl, claiming she was “welcomed with open arms” and “quickly felt at home.” 

She wants to help students with everyday tasks while making a lasting impact. Out of the many reasons why she took this role, she said she “wants to be a positive presence and role model within the school. Ultimately, I want students to know that I am here to support them, encourage them, and help them become the best version of themselves.”