Although new to Victor Senior High School, Mrs. Vongprachanh is no stranger when it comes to the teaching space. She previously taught Algebra 2 and Geometry at Lyons High School located in Wayne County where she developed her expertise before bringing her skills to Victor.
She originally went to St. John Fishers College for Chemistry and Pre-Pharmacy where she would eventually become a vocal and main director for musicals. By her second year of college she “wasn’t even looking at being a teacher” and that’s when she found her love for it. When asked about her love for musicals such as Wicked, Rent, and Heathers she mentioned that musicals changed the trajectory of what she wanted to do.
Furthermore, she states “I found out through musicals, I love interacting with a group of people, and I also like helping them, because through teaching, you can teach the content, but the connections that you make with other people, and the difference that you make in their lives is what I wanted to do every day.”
Since her new arrival at the school, Mrs. Vongprachanh knew that she did not want her longer last name to hinder her teaching or the way she has been perceived by students. In regards to her last name, she explains “I will either correct the students… sometimes with long last names, I don’t even want to spell my last name out, I will just say Mrs. V as well. I purposely chose to shorten it, just because I knew going into teaching that my last name would be a barrier for kids to ask for help or just acknowledge me whether it’s in class or in the hallways.”
Mrs. Vongprachanh has had to adjust to new chapters in her life such as marriage and a new school environment. With Mrs. Vongprachanh’s previous school commute being 45 minutes, she sought a job closer to family and home. After closing one phase of her life–her last four years of teaching at Lyons High School–she’s excited to embrace a new adventure.
One of the most significant changes for her has been the longer block periods, trying to navigate the big school, as well as the increased number of students in her classes. She further notes that she “would teach an entire grade level and have 10 periods within one day at Lyons.”
Despite Victor’s intimidatingly large atmosphere, she describes coming to Victor as a “time to chill and take a step back” from her involvement at her previous school. At Lyons, she enjoyed getting involved as a yearbook and senior class advisor, indoor and outdoor track coach, and a tennis coach.
She’s excited to continue her passion for the yearbook with Mr. Denner this upcoming school year as an assistant advisor. Mrs. Vongprachanh plans on expressing her creativity and further getting to know Victor through the yearbook club by helping kids “take their creative abilities and implement it.”
She believes her motivation around these extracurriculars is the joy she receives “from seeing kids in their element in a non-academic way, seeing what they’re passionate about, and seeing them interact with people that I didn’t know they interact with.”
Mrs. Vongprachanh is eager to “find ways to make the yearbook more diverse by getting different sides of the student population, and finding creative ways to have kids be able to showcase their creative abilities in yearbook.”
Lastly, Mrs. Vongprachanh wants everyone to know that she is always here to listen and take interest in your passions. Whether in or out of the classroom, she will be a supportive confidant for all of her students.
