Every high school has a diamond in the rough, and math teacher Paul Golter is no exception. Golter grew up in Hermiston, Oregon and went to Hermiston High School. He said his high school was no bigger than Athens High School.
“I went to high school before cell phones, so I would get in trouble for having a book out instead of a phone.”
Before getting his job at Federal Hocking High School, he worked at Washington State University. He went to school for chemical engineering but worked on the school’s computers. Golter moved his family from his home in Washington to Athens, Ohio in August 2016.
“It cost a whole lot of money to move a family across the country.”
Golter definitely had a full car when he moved. He not only brought his three daughters and his wife with him, but also their four cats.
Two of his daughters now attend Athens City School district and his oldest is out of school. He adores his wife and has found out that she’s a little more introverted than him. They originally thought she was the most extraverted because of her outgoing personality. She’s a pastor at the First Christian Church in Athens.
Once he moved to Ohio, he started working at OU but got laid off and then started working at FH.
Golter doesn’t think the teaching atmospheres are too different.
“In college, you teach people who want to be there, and in high school there’s people who don’t really want to be there. It’s a mixed bag.”
His students enjoy his teaching because he knows how to teach and keep things fun.
“He’s a sweet silly guy; he’s just trying to do the best for his students,” 9th grader Cora Kneier said.
Since he is accustomed to teaching at the college level, Golter would normally be teaching at a faster pace; but he’s getting used to slowing down. You can really tell he cares for his students. Golter has shown that he’s very good at pushing through and preserving through things that are new to him.
“You need to stay flexible, don’t put all yourself in one role or interest because you never know what will come up or change.”
Golter’s life doesn’t revolve around his work. In his free time, he is mostly grading school work, but he also likes to read, play games like DND and mobile games, do woodworking and even boat building.
If you see this amazing guy in the hallways, make sure to stop by and say hello.
