It was the first day of class for the 2016-17 school year.

Not just for the students, but for the teachers as well.

English teacher William Schowalter had been preparing for this day since he had gotten the call telling him he was a member of the Paola High School family.

As his first students walked into the classroom, he greeted them with enthusiasm and a warm smile. But this was not the first time Schowalter had led a class of Paola youth.

In 2013, he had been a student-teacher with Michelle Abshire at the high school and said loved every minute of it.

“I love Paola. Everyone’s got school spirit and everyone supports the teams and clubs,” Schowalter said. “I love the spirit, I love the staff, I love the students.”

When the semester came to an end, Schowalter graduated from Baker University with a degree in English Literature and a minor in French. However, this wasn’t his plan in the beginning.

Schowalter said he originally wanted to be a professional trumpet player.
“I went on a trip to Italy my freshman and sophomore years where I taught English at a summer camp,” he said. “I came home that fall and I changed my major. I decided, ‘You know what, I love this. I want to be a teacher.’”

Schowalter, who loves to travel, journeyed to France after graduating, spending two years teaching English as a second language. During his stay, Schowalter noted several differences between French schools and American schools.

“School spirit is almost non-existent in French schools. They don’t have school sports teams, they very rarely have music programs,” Schowalter said. “It’s like you only go to school to learn.”

Upon returning to the states, Schowalter heard of a job opportunity at the high school. Remembering how much he enjoyed the small-town community and the connections he made with students and parents, he quickly applied. According to Principal. Phil Bressler, there were 14 candidates vying for the position.