More faces across campus appear as new teachers are brought on to teach the ever growing number of kids attending Paso Robles High School. Currently 2,028 students attend the 2025-2026 school year.
Miranda Johnson, a previous para-educator at PRHS, now co-teaches Algebra 1 alongside Rita Mittman, and Judith Smith-Scruggs. Johnson used to teach special education, until she was placed into a new role as a co-teacher.
“The admin put us where we need to fill in, and I was assigned to teach algebra, but I was happy because I taught at Lewis-Flamson, and for the past couple years, I had math classes there,” Johnson said.
One of Johnson’s goals for the years of teaching to come is to remain as a teacher/co-teacher for all the students she receives at PRHS.
Morgan Haynie, an English 3 teacher in her first year of teaching at PRHS, has a strong support system around her. Jani Lindberg co-teaches her first three periods and Morgan Couture serves as a mentor, only one room across the hall at room 1024. Her inspiration for becoming an English teacher is her love for writing and her high school English teachers who pushed her love for the language even more.
“I’ve always loved helping others, even tutoring people in high school and college,” Haynie said.
Chad Stemper, an Algebra 1 teacher in room 922. Stemper is in his first year of teaching at PRHS, aspiring to help his students strive to be better. Stemper’s main reason for becoming a teacher cente
rs around his natural affinity for math, which was honed into teaching after his daughter expressed his talent for explaining concepts.
“I’ve always been good at math, but my daughter actually really pushed me into doing it, because when I would help her at home, she told me that she understood it better the way I explained it,” Stemper said.
Albert Sagoe, a first year teacher at PRHS from Ghana co-teaches with Stemper. Sagoe teaches in room 210. Sagoe became a teacher because of his love for tutoring and helping out his siblings with their work.
“I’ve always wanted to teach, because when me and my relatives were kids I was helping them with their class exercise or homework, and I would be teaching them even though I was also a student.” Sagoe said.
Sagoe’s goal for his career at PRHS is to continue co-teaching and teaching math towards his students as he has a passion for helping out the other students.
Aidan Evans, a co-teacher of 2024-2025 was learning under former English 1 Honors teacher, Jeffrey Mount. He now teaches English 1 Honors and Journalism 2/3 in room 604.
“I’ve had a passion for English since I was a high schooler, and I first started reading literature with a serious interest, and I knew from that age that I’d like to study it in college and eventually teach at the high school or college level,” Evans said.
Evans plan for the high school now that he is an official teacher is to keep teaching English Honors and perhaps eventually expand into upper division students in AP English classes.
Noah Hawkins, an English one teacher in his first year of teaching, has a strong liking towards teaching. Hawkins teaches in room 1023 and explained he became a teacher
because he always loved English since his junior year of highschool. His goal for his career at the high school is to teach higher levels of English.
“I would love to keep teaching English, maybe journalism, get involved in the creative writing club, and coaching as well. I would love to eventually teach some 12th grade honors, eventually, maybe some dual enrollment classes” Hawkins said.
Charlotte Reid, currently teaches English and is in her first year of teaching at PRHS. Reid teaches in room 1026 and co-teaches with Jette Tankersley and Christiana Reid. Ironic enough, both Reids are not related, they just happen to work together. Reid used to teach English at Lewis Flamson Junior High (LFJH).
“I’ve always been a writer, so I write, and I’ve always been a reader as well, so English literature helped me get out of some rough times when I was a kid,” Reid said. Reid’s current plans at the high school is to keep teaching English so she can follow her passion.
Sheila Burgh is teaching at PRHS for the first time. Burgh teaches in room 1018 and in addition to being a teacher, she’s also the ELD coordinator for Paso Robles. Burgh currently teaches ELD for all the Spanish speaking students at PRHS.
“I’m one of those teachers that roots for the underdog. I understand how people struggle to learn a second language and to fit into society, and it is my passion to actually help students and help people realize their passion and help everyone be productive members of society.” Burgh said.
Burgh also taught at LFJH and liked being able to teach older students in general, so she joined PRHS to help a wider variety. Burgh plans on continuing teaching ELD to help out all the non-english speaking students.
Garret Slack is currently in his first year of full time teaching. He currently teaches Modern World History and AP Economics in room 113. “I’ve always really loved history, and I really want to share that with the young people that are coming up in the next generation.” Slack said about why he became a teacher. Slack also says that he’s happy going where the department needs him, although he’d love to get involved in the theater program at some point.
Jacob Payne is another new teacher who is co-teaching with another teacher, him being paired up with Sahari Garcia. He teaches English 10 currently in room 112 and has taught at 5 different schools before. “I originally got into it because I was a coach. I loved coaching, coaching baseball, a little bit of basketball, and then I just wanted to give back a little bit.” Payne said when asked about why he became a teacher. Payne says he’s comfortable with teaching English but wants to get more familiar with PRHS before getting more involved in other things.
Brandon Cogdill teaches English and math in the Therapeutic Learning Classroom program, a subset of the school’s special education. Cogdill teaches in room 209. “I thought teaching would be a good opportunity to help the next generation students enjoy learning and become lifelong learners.” Cogdill stated. Cogdill says he’s very happy with what he’s teaching currently and doesn’t plan on changing anytime soon.
Shauna Fredrick, a previous science teacher at LFJH moved up to PRHS continuing her teachings in science. Frederick currently teaches science academy two and science academy one honors in room 408.
“I love science, and I love sharing that with other people, so I figured, why not become a science teacher?” Frederick said.
Frederick’s goals for her career are to teach realistically any field of science;she has a strong passion for biology..
Danielle Halebsky, a first year teacher at PRHS has earned her credentials to now teach fully at PRHS. Halebsky teaches both Algebra 1and Algebra 2 in room 914
“My whole life, I really liked math, but I also really liked teaching. I remember in second grade, I went to the first grade classroom and helped all the first graders with their math. And then all throughout college and high school, I was a tutor, so I just really developed a passion for teaching math” Halebsky said.
Halebsky’s current goals for teaching at PRHS is to teach more honors math classes and potentially AP classes.
Ragan Cain, an English teacher that teaches English 3 and Written Communications, is new to PRHS as well. Cain currently teaches in room 1019. “I became a tutor at Cal Poly. And then working one on one with people made me realize I really have a passion for teaching others”, Cain said in regards to why she became a teacher. Cain says she plans on eventually teaching AP classes as she has practice with teaching college classes.
Donna Kehl, is also an English teacher and she teaches English 1, Language and Literature two, and Written Communications, which she co-teaches with Nate Ybarra. Kehl teaches in room 1017. “I like working with students because they are young and energetic and they have good thoughts and insights, and they are just becoming the people that they’re going to be like for their careers and at the high school level their personalities are pretty much on a specific track, the person that they’re going to become”, Kehl said. Kehl plans on continuing teaching ELD throughout her career at PRHS.
With 15 new teachers coming in, and the school’s new system of co-teaching, many new teachers have been getting their bearings in their first year of teaching at Paso Robles High School. With the various new faces and different backgrounds entering the school, it brings up the question. What PRHS students will be the new teachers on the block in the future?
