A Letter to Students on 7 Yellow
August 24, 2023
Dear students,
I'm the seventh grade English Language Arts teacher and team leader for the Yellow team. This is my fourth year at NHMS. I moved here from Vermont, where I taught seventh and eighth grade ELA. Before that, I taught middle school ELA in California. It feels good to be back in my home state!
Lots of people have a hard time pronouncing my name without hearing it, so here's some help: It's pronounced just like the word "cool" except with a "y" sound at the beginning.
I'm an English teacher, so it will come as no surprise that I love to read and write. I read all kinds of books, magazines, essays, and news articles. When it comes to writing, I especially like journaling (I've kept at it regularly for over 20 years) and writing letters to my friends. Texting is extremely useful, of course, but for some occasions, there's nothing like an old-fashioned handwritten note.
Music is also passion of mine. I enjoy listening to music of many genres and from many periods, from classical to hip-hop and everything in between. I like to make music, too, mostly on the guitar and piano.
My list would not be complete without mentioning another interest: spending time outdoors, ideally hiking or backpacking. I've trekked many a trail around the United States, and while I love New England, my favorite places to hike are out West. Some of the best backpacking trips of my life have been along the Lost Coast of California, the Tonto Trail in the Grand Canyon (where that photo of me was taken), and Zion National Park and Coyote Gulch in Utah.
I love spending time with my family. My wife and I have two kids, James (five), Iris (two), and George (six months).
Finally, I enjoy learning new things. I took up fishing a few years ago, and I've been addicted to it ever since!
That's it for now. I'm looking forward to getting to know each of you throughout this school year. Feel free to get in touch via email any time with questions or just to say hello.
Sincerely,
Mr. Uhl