Meet Rennie Gunderman – English Department

Where were you this time last year? Interning with Ms. Ceplikas here at HHS.

Why HHS? I live here, and my kids are in the Hanover school system. I’ve done

two internships in Hanover, one with Erik Goodling at the middle school and the

other with Ms. Ceplikas here at the high school, both of which I really enjoyed.

What would you most like students to know about you? I believe in teaching in

a fun, engaging manner. I want students to learn to read critically, and to like

learning. I think students will only learn well if learning is fun, so I try to make my

classes as engaging as possible.

What are your first impressions about HHS? I really like how the whole English

department has this culture of sharing teaching techniques. They are very open

and friendly. I appreciate how motivated students are – they’re really ready to

learn. I also really admire our principal, Ms. Gillespie. She does a great job of

reaching out to staff and making them feel wanted. She keeps up a really nice

relationship between herself and the staff.

I enjoy swimming and running. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan is one of my favorite novels. It’s about Frank Lloyd Wright’s life written from the perspective of his significant other, Mamah Borthwick Cheney, who encountered many obstacles in her relationship with this famous man. I love the protagonist’s quote in the novel, “I have been standing on the side of life, watching it float by.  I want to swim in the river.  I want to feel the current” in part because so much literature and daily life is about finding one’s voice.