Mrs. Powers, a beloved English teacher for the St. Robert middle school, recently went on maternity leave. As a result of this, St. Robert had to find a long term substitute to teach her class until the end of the 2025-2026 school year. They began the search in November, and eventually found Dr. Gbala, a very experienced teacher in the English Language Arts department. There are varying opinions on how this transition has gone so far, and Dr. Gbala, the administration, and students in his classes have shared those opinions for this article.
Mr. Stangler, principal of St. Robert School, explained the hiring process: “It took a really long time. We posted this position in September and we didn’t have the teacher hired until after Mrs. Powers went on maternity leave, so we were searching for about six months.” Dr. Gbala has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and English Education from the University of La Crosse Wisconsin, so he has a lot of experience, an important aspect that the administration found when they were looking for a long-term substitute for Mrs. Powers. Also, Dr. G has a “helpful, loving, and funny personality. We are really happy that he is our teacher,” said Alice, a 7th grader at St. Robert school.
Dr. Gbala also explained how he was welcomed and prepared for teaching the St. Robert middle school when he said “One of the biggest challenges for me was learning everyone’s names coupled with their personalities. However, the joyful, high energy has been amazing!” Dr. Gbala was beloved by many for his outgoing personality when he first came to this school, so the energy in his classroom has been very high.
Dr. Gbala has stepped up as the long-term substitute teacher for Mrs. Powers, and has overall done an outstanding job. He has brought a lot of energy, enthusiasm, and laughs to the middle school community all while stepping in suddenly, creating a positive learning environment, and following Mrs. Powers’ plans.
