Mr. Nicholas Sessions is a new government teacher at Chandler High School. His path to Chandler High seems almost meant to be. With an entire family of teachers—his dad and grandfather both taught—teaching was a natural choice for him. He ended up at Chandler almost by chance, knowing the principal and basketball coach from his high school days.
Since joining Chandler’s faculty, Mr. Sessions has found his experience to be positive. He appreciates the supportive administration, its policies, and the lovely campus. Comparing it to his past job at a golf course, he finds teaching more challenging but much more rewarding.
In addition to teaching government, Mr. Sessions will coach the JV boys basketball team. He started working with them over the summer and is excited for the season beginning in November. “I’m excited to be able to coach the JV team and help with the Varsity, and hopefully we can grow the program,” he says.
Basketball is a big part of Mr. Sessions’ life. His parents were both involved in the sport, with his mom playing Division 1 basketball and his dad coaching. This lifelong exposure to basketball fostered his passion for the game. While he finds playing and coaching somewhat similar, he says shifting from player to coach has been an exciting transition.
Mr. Sessions sees teaching and coaching as similar processes. Both involve taking complex ideas, breaking them down, and helping others understand and improve over time. He enjoys guiding students and players alike, helping them grow and succeed.
When asked what he’s looking forward to this school year, Mr. Sessions jokes about the two-week fall and spring breaks but quickly adds that he enjoys high school events like football games and assemblies because of their fun atmosphere.
In reflecting on his journey to today, Mr. Sessions admits he didn’t always know he wanted to be a teacher. As a child, like many of us, he dreaded the question of what he wanted to be when he grew up. It wasn’t until a few years ago that he realized that teaching was his true calling.
In teaching and coaching, Mr. Sessions is happy with his new role at Chandler High and eager for the year ahead. His enthusiasm and dedication is sure to make a lasting impact on his students and players.
