By Shelbey Guarino, staff writer

The new math teacher, Anna Kruizenga, came to Plainwell Community Schools after finding Holland to be too far of a commute.

Kruizenga, who is now 37 years old, contemplated working in accounting after high school.  She then went to Western Michigan University where she decided to major in ELA and Math for secondary education, and got her Master’s in math education.  

Before coming to Plainwell, she worked in Ottawa, Illinois for two years.  After that she was at Black River Public Schools in Holland, Michigan for five years.  She arrived at Plainwell Middle School five years ago, and has been working in the district ever since.   

Here at Plainwell High School, “It has been fabulous.  I have felt very welcomed by the other students and teachers.”

“I didn’t actually fill the shoes of anyone,” she said.  The school opened the position for her.  She is a 6-12th grade math coordinator.

“I align curriculum and help teachers implement different lessons,” she says.  

Her time here is needed in order to, “Help to make the transition from middle school to high school more fluent.”

“I am able to break math down into ways students think,” Kruizenga says.  

Explaining and teaching math in different ways allows her to not only help her students, but also enables her to create relationships with them.  “I am kind of like the mom.  I always have freshmen calling me mom.”  

Kruizenga wants her students to know that; “The real world is outside of this building.  Make sure not to get sucked into the minor things like drama.  Remember to look at the bigger picture.”   

She also thinks that students forget to enjoy themselves. “We are amazing as individuals,” she says.

When Kruizenga is not at school, she can be found either gardening or spending time with friends, and especially her family.  She has also begun to take up hunting small animals like squirrels.  “Going to Gull Meadows and getting cider and donuts,” is one of Kruizenga’s favorite fall activities.