I recently sat down with one of the newest faculty members, Mr. Peterson. He joined the Upper School English Department after substituting in the Middle School and has discovered his passion for teaching. He seems to truly enjoy the opportunity and we appreciate his positive impact at the school.  I met with him for a quick Q&A to get the scoop on the new faculty member.

Samson Yang
Q: What did you do before Saint Stephen’s?

Mr. Peterson
A: “I went to high school here. Then I went to Yale, in New Haven, Connecticut.  I studied psychology and then I worked afterward with my dad in his custodial business as a regional advisor. After that, I came to Florida to coach the soccer team at SSES. I kept in touch with Mr. Jones [Head coach of boys varsity soccer & 7th-grade math teacher], and I expressed to him how much I like teaching. I soon filled in for him when he was absent. Then, there was a vacancy in the Upper School English Department. So I talked with Dr. Pullen and Mr. Moore and they asked if I could fill in.”

SY
Q: How are you liking SSES? What was your worst job of all time?

MP
A: “I like it a lot! I think having been a student here has given me access to certain things, and I have relationships with a lot of my old teachers that are more like mentor relationships than colleague relationships. Therefore, I feel really comfortable asking Mr. Moore for advice or feedback, as I’m learning new things and accepting new challenges. I haven’t really had any bad jobs, although, I’ve had many valuable jobs that have guided me to where I am now. ”

SY
Q: What are your favorite hobbies and passions?

MP
A: “I think my long-term passion outside of learning has been soccer. Although I don’t really play it anymore, I coach it. I also still watch a good amount. ”
SY
Q: If you could have an endless supply of any meal, what would it be?

MP
A: “Probably a burrito; they’re nutritious and they taste really good. Also, because I go to Chipotle a lot.”

SY
Q: What was your favorite thing you did over the summer?

MP
A: “I had a couple of friends down from college that I haven’t seen in a couple of years and we kind of just hung out in Sarasota. We went to the beach and played beach soccer, mini-golf, and ended up catching a few World Cup games.”

SY
Q: If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go and why?

MP
A: “I lived in Brazil for a few months, playing for a youth professional soccer team when I was 12. After that, I went to SSES for 8th grade. I haven’t had the chance to go back since, so I think I would like to go back to Brazil to visit the friends I made at that time.”

SY
Q: What are some of your unique habits

MP
A: “I like to read on my stomach. It’s just the most comfortable way to read. I have to be set up to read comfortably, so I guess that would be a unique habit of mine.”

SY
Q: Who has been the most inspirational person in your life?

MP
A: “I think I take inspiration from different people and its usually not a single person who inspires me. Maybe, it might be one aspect of their personality. An easy and obvious answer is my dad just because when I was young he gave me so much advice and was so instrumental and taught me many important things. ”

Mr. Peterson certainly has a very intriguing personality, with his unique habits and positive nature. He seems to be adapting to SSES very well. You probably didn’t know some of these facts about Mr. Peterson. His favorite food is a Chipotle Burrito! Many students will relate to this because of their love of Chipotle, too. His passion for soccer explains why he coaches the girl’s varsity soccer team. Most students would agree that Mr. Peterson is a cool, calm, and collected teacher, even in the most heated moments. These traits are the reasons most students like him and we look forward to the years ahead.