Although Mr. Egolf was only at Pingree for a year, his students felt the impact of his open-classroom approach. His approachability and commitment to his student’s understanding of coursework will surely be missed. Discussion and teamwork is a strong part of Mr. Egolf’s teaching style and the freedom given to his students promoted guided team and individual learning. Mr. Egolf will go on to teach math at another school and coach ultimate frisbee if the opportunity arises. 

What have you enjoyed about your time at Pingree? 

Seven years ago I was given the opportunity to coach the ultimate team here at Pingree. At the time I was working as a lawyer and not really enjoying my career. Once I realized how much I loved working with Pingree students I decided to change careers and become a teacher. Having the opportunity to return to where my journey started and get to know the students here –both on the field and in the classroom – has been very special to me. Working with the Pingree community has reminded me of why I became a teacher in the first place and I am proud of any connections that I made with the students here.

What will you miss? 

Unquestionably I will miss my students. Part of the joy of teaching high school is getting to see kids grow and progress into thoughtful and independent young adults. I regret that I will not be able to continue the relationships that I have built over the last year and see the kind of people that my students will grow into during their future years at Pingree. So many of them have challenged me, surprised me, and impressed me and I will miss them most of all.

Do you know what’s next for you?

I intend to continue teaching and continue coaching. Who knows – perhaps next year you will see me standing across the court or the field directing a rival team against Pingree!