As the new school year has gotten underway, it brings about many new beginnings: new classes, new connections, new students, and new opportunities. Often overshadowed, but extremely important additions are the new faculty joining us this year. Without the wonderful teachers we have here at The Prep, our students would not receive the first-class education Seton Hall Prep is known for.
Joining us this year, Mr. Michael Good will strengthen our history department as he is extremely skilled and adept at connecting with his students. I had the opportunity to be in the classroom with him last year, when he came for a trial. He was adept at connecting with the students, and it felt like I had been in class with him for months, despite it having only been minutes since we met. Mr. Good will be teaching World History I and II to freshmen and sophomores. While he is not an alum, Mr. Good attended The Prep for his first three years of high school, remarking that he loved the brotherhood here, and he wishes that he stayed all four years but unfortunately he had another calling: hockey.
A big sports lover, he left The Prep to play hockey his senior year, and he remains close to sports through the support of his four children, a daughter who is a sophomore in college, twin boys who are freshmen in college, and a son who is a sophomore in high school. He grew up in Cedar Grove, but currently resides in Chatham. Mr. Good graduated from Fairfield University with degree in business, and received a degree in history from William Patterson University. He then used his education to start a career in the corporate world, working for companies like Coca-Cola National, Pfizer, and the NHL. Eventually, he decided that he had a different calling, transitioning to teaching because the opportunity to coach and teach resonated with him.
He loves the connections he makes with the students and players he coaches, saying “Seeing the kids succeed, the interactions with them, being able to influence them positively, hearing from students after graduation is what makes teaching special.” His attitude perfectly encapsulates the Seton Hall environment, as we always speak about “brotherhood” (we have spoken about it so much that it has become cliche); to me, that brotherhood is really the connections we make during our time here. Our idea of brotherhood matches perfectly with Mr. Good’s call to teaching. He hopes for students to leave his classroom better men with “good character, grit, and good work ethic.” Getting a good grade is important, but the real value of Seton Hall Prep is how it teaches you to be a man.
He also wants his students to feel comfortable in his classroom, saying: “be comfortable failing, … you’re a human you’re not perfect, you also have a life outside of here so I can understand what you’re going through. I have kids your age, so I know the age group, I know what you’re doing after school, I know how busy the schedules are so I can relate to you.” This mentality speaks to his character, as it can be easy for teachers to lose sight of the person, and how his performance can be affected by his circumstances that may be outside of his control, so having an understanding teacher like Mr. Good on our staff will be a strong benefit.
Mr. Good teaches in room 322, so feel free to introduce yourself to him, and let’s give him and all of our new faculty a warm welcome. New beginnings bring new opportunities, and we are thankful for Mr. Good and all of our other new faculty members.