Walking into math teacher Julie Scola’s room, a visitor sees stuffed animals, picture books and puzzles and immediately knows why her class is a student favorite. It’s easy to see that she will be missed when she retires after 35 years at the school. She is also retiring as the school’s longest tenured teacher.
Every year, Scola, known for her sense of humor, leaves her students with unforgettable memories and quotes such as “there is no A.S.S. in geometry!”
Scola started teaching here in 1991. Soon after came a wave of young teachers including history teacher Mike Davey, English teacher Kerry Mohnike, biology teacher Lisa Cochrum and science teacher Kellyann Nicholson, who is also retiring this year.
“We were sort of the newbies, but we looked up to these icons that were here as teachers,” Scola said. “[When she first joined], there seemed to be a closer knit faculty, as far as a whole group, as opposed to within departments.”
Prior to teaching, Scola studied for two years at Gavilan College, a community college in southern Santa Clara County. She had an emphasis on math and science, but took a wide variety of classes such as accounting, physiology, psychology and electronics.
When her professor watched the students she tutored prosper, he recommended her to go into teaching math, which developed into a career she stuck with.
“Growing up as a little kid, I used to play school a lot,” Scola said. “I always liked math, but I liked all of school too.”
After transferring to San Jose State University, Scola dug more deeply into upper-division math classes. Her math courses in community college built a strong foundation for the upper-level math classes she took afterward.
After starting her teaching career at Leigh High School, Scola earned her master’s degree at Santa Clara University and later landed as a Falcon at SHS.
“After having kids, you look at things a little bit differently,” Scola said. “As you continue to teach, you learn all these different methods and there’s even still to this day new methods that I’m learning that are not in any textbook.”
The learning process is key for Scola, who has taught a wide variety of classes here. Notably, she has taught geometry for every year but one.
“We used to have a pre-algebra class and even a consumer math class long ago,” Scola said. “I’ve taught everything from pre-algebra all the way to regular calculus and everything in between.”
Scola is one of the few teachers to live in Saratoga. Both her children went through Saratoga Elementary, Redwood Middle and finally graduated from SHS.
“Enjoy the ride,” Scola advised students. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s a super special school, so be here and don’t take it for granted.”
