Falcon Spotlight: Mrs. Paleczny

The return Mrs. Ligon Paleczny to the history department has made Saint Stephen’s just that much better.

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Mrs. Paleczny

Mrs. Paleczny driving her boat while her daughter, Sally, is tubing behind her.

Adam Graf, Staff Writer

If you have gone through Modern World history, there is a chance you had Mrs. Paleczny as your teacher. Mrs. Paleczny left in 2019 and just returned to Saint Stephen’s this year. If you’re not in her history class, you might be asking who Mrs. Paleczny is?

So as Mrs. Paleczny settles back at Saint Stephen’s, let’s answer the big questions to learn a bit more about this returning teacher.

Q: How did you find Saint Stephen’s?

A: It was by accident at a very big event where people who wanted to find teaching jobs were gathered in Georgia. So I went to this big conference in Georgia, and I didn’t know about Saint Stephen’s, but the rep from Kentucky took me aside and said, “you get to this event every day on time, looking fabulously professional. You should have this job.” 

Q: What are some of your hobbies outside of school

A: I read for fun. I also have two children, so I don’t have many hobbies. They’re four and two. I go boating. I have a little Boston Whaler, 16 footer, love taking the boat out and finally mastered trailering and using the boat dock.

Q: Why did you leave and return back to Saint Stephen’s? 

A: Because when I left Saint Stephen’s the last time for virtual learning, I was pregnant with my second daughter. So after I had her, the plan was to come back part time because I would have so much on my plate [with classes], a new baby, and a toddler. But then when Covid hit, it became clear to me that it was going to be really hard to work during Covid. I decided I just didn’t have enough time to do both, and that’s why I left. 

Q: What’s it like having a daughter at a school that you work at?

A:  It’s a lot of fun, but it also makes it really hard. So when my daughter comes, she uses my classroom as her playroom where she has her snacks and she destroys my room regularly and I have to clean it up. My daughter’s in Pre-K and she loves the school. 

Q: Why did you choose history?

A: When I was in college, I  took classes from professors only in subjects that I liked, and I never thought about what I was majoring in. I don’t recommend that for everyone, but I loved college, so I just picked whatever I wanted. Then by my junior year, I had to pick a major, and it’s just whatever I took the most of at that point. That’s how I became a history major and actually an anthropology minor by accident. 

Q: Why did you choose to become a teacher?

A: Once I had the history degree, I knew I wanted to teach. I worked with at-risk youth during the summer. And what at risk means is: their parents had drug or arrest issues. During the summer, the kids would come and live in a dorm and they would take classes with us. I had done that job for a while and really liked it because I liked working with students. So history by accident, teaching because I had that summer job. 

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