With all the mayhem and changes that have been happening around us this year, the new 10th-grade History teacher, Allison Baal, has been faced with an additional challenge, acclimating to a new job within an uncharted, strange environment.
After recently graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University with majors in history and psychology, Ms. Baal joined the Hackley faculty following her life-long passion for American History. For as long as she can remember, Ms. Baal has always been interested in history, initially sparked by a love for American Girls dolls, specifically, those who had historical backgrounds and stories.
After being away in Ithaca, Ms. Baal said she is “happy to be home” in Westchester, making her experience teaching at Hackley much more special. Additionally, Ms. Baal is living on campus—you might see her in the morning helping out with temperature checks. Luckily, Ms. Baal isn’t alone in her navigation of a new school, as she is also a freshman advisor and will get to learn the ropes of the Upper School together with her advisees.
This past summer, Ms. Baal taught at Taft Boarding School, coaching various sports and academics. She loved working with the students and athletes, watching the kids grow and progress in their learning. Baal said that her main goal is to support students during this challenging time; she recognizes that there are ups and downs, but she wants to try to keep it fun and learn as much as possible.
While this year looks like no other, Ms. Baal has already adjusted well to the school, knowing many teachers and students in all grade-levels. After overcoming such a rough initial hurdle at the start of her career, Ms. Baal is ready for nearly anything and is extremely excited for all the years to come.