Don’t people want to learn more about their teachers? Although new to the school, Social Studies teacher John Terry is already making an impact in the classroom.

Terry, who teaches United States History to sophomores and World History to freshmen, is not new to teaching. After studying at Rutgers University and Montclair State University, Terry was a student teacher in Kearny and taught History at Jefferson Township High School, where he gained teaching experience with many grades.

The United States and World History teacher also has many hobbies he enjoys. “I have some friends in Jersey City that I like to visit,” said Terry, “and I play guitar.” He also hopes to get outside more to go hiking and biking on the weekends.

When school ends, Terry likes to experience other cultures and the world around him. “I like to travel when I can in the summertime, and I try to practice speaking different languages.” Recently traveling to Spain and Portugal, Terry was able to pick up the Spanish and Portuguese languages and speak well enough to communicate with those from the country.

Transitioning to a new school can be tough for teachers. Learning new lesson plans and refreshing his memory on certain historical topics are just some of the challenges that Terry faced. But since he’s been a first-year teacher more than once, he anticipated these difficulties. “It doesn’t surprise me, it’s just part of the job.”

Terry has been able to get along well with the other teachers and is enjoying his time teaching at Hills. “I think that the teachers seem like they are respected here, so I appreciate that,” Terry commented. “I feel like I’m a respected member of the faculty.”