The social studies department has a new face you may recognize. Varsity football coach, Mr. Schaum, who taught in the middle school for 25 years, is now teaching at the high school. 

Mr. Schaum is teaching Economics and US History for the juniors and seniors on top of being the head coach for the varsity football team. He has led the Hurricanes to a 5-1 start to the season in his fifth year of coaching. 

As a young student, Mr. Schaum loved history growing up and had fantastic social studies teachers who gave him more interest in the topic and led him to become a history teacher. Also, we asked one of his players/students, Heath Sumwalt, how he felt about having his coach as a teacher and he said, “I like having him as a teacher. I learn pretty easily with him because I know him very well.”

Mr. Schaum hasn’t decided which school he likes better, and about that, he said, “There are pluses and minuses to teaching in either school but I enjoy being with my players. He is pressed with prepping his two 11th-grade US History classes for their upcoming Regents at the end of the year.  

Being with his players in the classroom is a new experience for him that he is enjoying. He said, “ I treat them the same as everyone else. It’s a better chance for me to keep a better eye on them and see what they do on a regular daily basis.” 

We also asked him what his expectations were for this football season and he said, “We have a lot of young guys, I want the older guys to lead the young guys in the right direction which will, in turn, lead to more victories as a whole.”

Mr. Schaum may be hard on the field and in the classroom, but in the end, he always wants what’s best for his players and his students: to see them succeed and do well in the future. 

Stop by and say hi to Mr. Schaum in room 103.