By MacKenzie Nguyen and Sara Walstedter
It’s the already the second month of school, which means the newness of the school year – new grade, new goals, new teachers – is starting to wear off. However, one question still going around BHS recently is: Who are these new teachers? The Branford Buzz took the opportunity to interview and learn more about them. Over the coming weeks, the Buzz will be publishing Q & A interviews with all the new staff members.
Today’s feature is on Mr. Brian Zaklukiewcz, who is a new PE and health teacher.
What subject and classes do you teach?
I’m the new Health and Physical Education teacher at BHS. I’m teaching mostly freshmen health classes right now along with a junior/senior P.E. class. But I’ll be teaching sophomore health classes in the second half of the year and teaching another junior/senior P.E class
Why did you become a teacher?
I became a teacher for a number of reasons. Growing up I’d always worked at summer camps and after school programs and really enjoyed it. The short answer is that I had some great teachers and mentors in my life that really shaped me. Without those people, my life would look very different than it does today.
What’s your background and how did you come to BHS?
When I graduated from high school I started working at golf courses to try to become a Head Golf Professional or Director of Golf of a country club. After a few years I realized I’d rather be playing golf than working at a golf course. Again, with the help of some great mentors, I decided to go back to school to get my degree in physical education from the University of South Florida at 22 years old so I could teach, coach, and serve as a mentor and role model to students like I had growing up.
What do you like about BHS?
I really just love the staff, students, and livelihood at BHS. Fellow teachers and administration welcomed me right away, the students I have in my classes are funny and smart, and there’s literally a club or sports team for almost anything you can imagine! I love that there are always students around the building finding their passions!
What are your hobbies and interests?
During the summer, I try to spend as much time on the golf course as possible! I spend a lot of my free time on the beach or out on the boat too. I love playing Kan Jam, Spikeball, and Pickleball. We really love traveling and have been all over the world – Germany, Italy, Austria, Grand Cayman, Bahamas, Aruba, Hawaii, and more. I love diving into and learning all about new cultures and new food. Other than that, I like just spending quality time with our friends and family, who all live pretty close by.
Tell me about your family.
My family is my wife, Emily, and our two dogs, Penny Lane and Putter. My wife comes from a big Italian family so every Sunday you can find us at Sunday dinner at her grandparents with all of her aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, parents etc., it’s really a whole production but we do it almost every single Sunday! Most of our family and friends live close to us in Old Saybrook so we spend a lot of time together, and family is really important to us.
What’s a favorite song, book, movie or TV show and why?
Favorite song, book, movie, or TV show?! Tough question, I have so many favorite songs, books, movies, and TV shows! If I had to pick one book, I’d say “Everyday I Fight” by Stuart Scott. This book is about Stuart Scott’s life as a broadcaster for ESPN and his battle with cancer in his later years. It’s a great read, and super interesting for anyone with a passion for sports. More importantly, however, it chronicles his journey with cancer and provides some really eye opening perspectives and insight into life in general. My favorite musician is and has always been Jack Johnson. My wife and I saw him and another favorite musician, G. Love, in Hartford over the summer. Any song by Jack is a favorite but I’ve been finding myself listening to his “From Here To Now To You” album a lot recently. But I love music so I listen to a wide variety of everything!
