Ms. Hess was interested in coming to Millikan because of this school’s reputation for being a happy, high-functioning place. “It seems like the students enjoy being here, the staff enjoys being here, the vibe is very chill and it has that reputation across the district,” she said.
Introducing, Mrs. Stacey Hess-Petterson, Millikan’s new COMPASS AP English Literature and Diverse Voices teacher.
Hess taught at Lakewood for eleven years until she got the opportunity to teach AP English Language at Long Beach Poly, she then came to Millikan.
Mrs. Hess is a first-generation college student who earned an AA (Associate in Arts) at Cypress College. She transferred to Cal State Long Beach where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English in 2000.
After a few years of substitute teaching, she returned to CSULB to earn a teaching credential in 2004. After a decade of teaching, she returned to studying and received a Master’s in Education from National University. Hess is always dressed to impress, wearing the best outfits. “It’s a way to show I’m taking this seriously and I want the students to take this seriously,” she adds. “But don’t get me wrong, I will never miss a casual Friday.”
In addition, she lives in the neighborhood and Millikan could potentially be her 8th-grade son’s high school next year. To her, the idea of being involved in the school on two levels, as a teacher and a parent, is “very exciting”.
“In terms of the students, they all seem like they have mutual respect and enjoy what is going on here,” said Hess.
She says she enjoys teaching English. “It tends to be the subject where you can make connections of what it means to be human.”
Her curriculum differs from other grades and teachers which is why she enjoys teaching seniors and AP classes. “We do have some latitude in terms of what we teach. The lower grades are still very prescribed by the district but with seniors, we have a little more choice,” she states.
“My goals for my students are that they become more thoughtful readers, more skillful writers,” said Mrs. Hess. “But really, I would like them to stay curious.”
Outside of school, she loves reading, gardening, and traveling, having visited thirty-eight countries. We can not wait to see what Mrs. Hess-Petterson and her students will accomplish this school year!
