This year, CCES welcomes a new face to its math department – Ms. Keas, the new Algebra Honors teacher. With a passion to help students succeed, she is excited to start her journey at our school.

When asked what she wants her students to know right away, Ms. Keas answered simply: “I am here to help you! I want you to be successful!” That mindset shows her dedication to helping students through challenges.

Before joining CCES, Ms. Keas taught at an international school in Penang, Malaysia. Though she has traveled far, she’s quickly settling in. “I am loving working with the staff and students!” she said.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Keas is an avid runner. While she dabbled in running during high school, she truly discovered her passion for it while training for a marathon in college. This year, she trained for an 18-mile trail race – and she hopes to tackle a triathlon next. “My motivation mostly stems from my love of challenges,” she explained.

When it comes to teaching, the most fulfilling part for her is helping students overcome obstacles. “Helping students understand and feel successful despite challenges,” she said, is what inspires her most as a teacher.

Ms. Keas also shared a few fun facts. On her bucket list is hiking in the Swiss Alps. One of her funniest teaching moments came from a slip of the tongue: she once accidentally said “circumcise” instead of “circumscribe”. Both her and the class had to take a moment to compose themselves before continuing.

And for the most important questions – she adds the milk after pouring cereal in a bowl, she prefers the mountains to the beach, and is more of a tea drinker instead of coffee.  

Emily Day and Pia Pichler, two of her sophomore students say “Ms. Keas is a really nice teacher and we like how she creates her own notes and problems”.