Jupiter High’s newest teacher, Michelle Belcastro, is experiencing a change of scenery, transferring from elementary school Language Arts to high school Reading.

“Coming back to high school from teaching elementary school has been a smooth transition,” said Belcastro.

According to Belcastro, teaching young children and teaching teenagers are very different experiences.

“In elementary school, the teachers have a lot of responsibilities with students…I will make one observation about walking in the halls here, it’s like a salmon swimming upstream to get somewhere,” said Belcastro. “Also, in elementary schools, the students actually verbally engage with each other, unlike in high school. Many students are fixated on technology. Walking in the hallways with their heads down and earbuds in.”

After teaching at Beacon Cove Elementary for 11 years, Belcastro now runs into many of her former students.

“When I first showed up here, I noticed many of my students looked off guard when they saw me on their schedule or just standing at my door between the bells,” she said. “Truth be told, every former student that has noticed that I’m here stops by my room on a daily basis just to say hi. It lets me know that I must have done something right because they still remember so many years ago.”

Many of her former students are pleased to have her again as a teacher.

“I admire Mrs. Belcastro very much. She is the best teacher a student could ask for. She is the most fun and caring teacher in the school. The highlight of my day in school is coming to her class,” said sophomore Skylar Sparks, one of Belcastro’s former students in elementary school who now has her as a teacher in high school.

Sophomore Marisol Franco agreed with Sparks.

“She understands me when I am having difficulty with something. She was my teacher so she gets me. She helps me with work and when she does, I understand her,” said Franco when asked what makes her want to have Belcastro as a teacher.

Welcome to Warrior country, Mrs. Belcastro. Your students wish you success at your new school.