Mrs. Katherine Pereira

Cherry Hill East greets one of the new faces of the East Staff, but this year- through the computer screen. Mrs. Katherine Pereira is the new teacher of East’s science department, teaching Chemistry 1H and 1A.

Mrs. Pereira is currently teaching her 12th year in education as she has experienced different positions such as a District Administrator to a school Assistant Principal. However, as she worked in education at the office and administration in the most recent years, she adds how it had been a while since she got to work in a classroom teaching students.

“What I was really missing was being with students in a closed and fun setting.” says Pereira who is excited for what this year has in store.

As Pereira holds certification in all areas of math, chemistry, and psychology, she applied in those subjects to return back to teaching in a classroom with the environment of students, the atmosphere she had missed. Chemistry was the class she accepted.

Although she looked forward to meeting her new students in the new school, the recent virus took an unexpected turn in her plans. Mrs. Pereira elaborates that her purpose of being back at the classroom was to teach interactively, but was hindered by the lessons taught through the computer. “It’s no lie, it’s hard,” she says.

Through the struggle, she has been able to manage and adjust to the new transition that she explains was what everyone was going through together. Now passing weeks since the first day of school and Mrs. Pereira’s first day at East, she finds it hard to believe the tremendous progress.

Feeling the glimpse of returning to the classroom with the students despite it online, she says, “Being able to teach children again felt really good to be back,” and “[she] has fantastic colleagues who [she] [does] not think [she] could have done it without them to be successful.”

With the help of the department and the hard work on her end, Mrs. Pereira tries to ensure the “fun and interactive” in her daily lessons, differing in ways from her previous years of education. She views the current situations as a learning curve and as a positive learning experience.

In the times where Mrs. Katherine Pereira is not found teaching or planning her lessons, she is seen at the court, coaching volleyball. Through volleyball, she says, “I had actually had a little bit more exposure to the Cherry Hill family through my time helping to coach. “

She is optimistic about the upcoming season and hopes all goes well, encouraging everyone to support the East Girls Volleyball team in February. Pereira cannot wait for the season to get to know the players and also for the days she meets her students in the building.

Mrs. Pereira hopes to meet East beyond the screens and in the hallways soon and encourages students to come visit her on the third floor.