Ms. Denise Rykal, the new math teacher here at the Academy, says her story with mathematics comes from long ago.

She has tutored students since she was a high school student in places like Wisconsin Rapids as well as St. John the Baptist and Holy Family here in Green Bay. However, she started teaching at a math intervention five years ago in Ashwaubenon.

Ms. Rykal enjoys teaching math because it has always been an easy subject for her. She loves the “structure of it and the ability to be able to check your answers.”

As a math student finite math and calculus were the easiest subjects for her, and she loves when students understand what she is teaching.

Her hobbies include playing volleyball on weekends, reading, sailing, travelling, and, if that is not enough, she also has her own painting and flooring business.

Ms. Rykal joined the NDA staff late in the summer when math teacher Jordan Vandehey resigned to take a teaching position in Appleton.  To deal with the stress of last-minute preparation for a new schedule of classes, Ms. Rykal says she “takes one day at a time and catches up on the weekends with planning and posting grades.”

The idea of teaching high schoolers and her love of high school math lured her away from St. John the Baptist.   She came to NDA, she said, “because she could teach higher level math and at the same time be connected to her faith and values.”

“ I have already found,” Ms Rykal said, “a lot of values in NDA such as faith, respect, responsibility, service and trustworthiness. The best part of this school is that the students not only get an academic education but also a spiritual and character education as well.”