Upper School Math Teacher Charlie Janicki joined the Greenhill community this year, and even though he is still new, he has made an impact on all his students already.

Janicki never thought he wanted to be a teacher, initially studying mechanical engineering when he started at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. However, his mindset slowly changed as he built a great bond with his professors and mentors. This led him to become greatly involved in peer tutoring, where he “felt a call to teaching.”

He is now a math teacher focusing on Honors Algebra II, Advanced Algebra II, and Advanced Pre-Calculus courses. Previously, Janicki had spent six years teaching at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, teaching high school math, but Janicki wanted a change in his community.

He came to Greenhill seeking a more diverse community of students and faculty where there was “an emphasis on the well-roundedness of students.”

He appreciates the diverse catalog of activities students can choose from and how “there isn’t a lot of exclusivity in which extra-curricular you are allowed to participate in.”

Freshman Amani Shetty, one of his students in Janicki’s Advanced Algebra II class, is impressed with Janicki’s teaching style. Shetty feels that Janicki has a very strong teaching style and brings a positive atmosphere into the room.

Janicki is also an advisor, with Shetty being one of his advisees who is appreciative of the resources given by Janicki.

“He is super understanding and helpful when I’m trying to navigate schedule and emotion through classes,” said Shetty.

Janicki made an amazing impression on the teachers at Greenhill in the math department, during their meet-and-greet lunch. After a lunch voicing their opinions about him, they unanimously agreed that he would fit in at Greenhill.

Math Department Head Darryn Sandler hadn’t attended the lunch but was involved in the hiring process and described Janicki as “someone who would be a good addition to the community.”

When Janicki came to co-teach for a day as a part of his interview process, he “was very confident with the material and has a great way of communicating” with the students. Sandler commented that he is very interactive and engaging with the students, finding ways to get students involved, so it’s not so much of a lecture-based math class.

“He really challenges them [students] to think about the why and not just show them how to do everything, which is what we strive to do in our department,” said Sandler.