LS Spotlight: John Schiaparelli

Kindergarten Teacher John Schiaparelli and his wife have lived in NJ, CA, WI, MA, CT, NE, AZ, Toronto and Florida. As a stay-at-home Dad in most of those locations, John spent lots of time volunteering at his daughters' schools. John climbed the ranks at Shorecrest from Room Parent to substitute to full time Kindergarten Instructional Assistant in 2013 and now Kindergarten Teacher. He earned a BA from California State University, Los Angeles, in Social Sciences, and a teaching certificate in Secondary Social Studies from Montclair State University in New Jersey in 1996.

"If I had known how much I enjoy elementary education, I would have started there at the beginning. I love the instant feedback you get from younger students and seeing their amazing progress in short periods of time," he said. His daughters are Chargers - Kara '14 and Emma '22.

We asked John some get-to-know you questions:

What was your favorite childhood vacation?
Every summer we went to Wildwood Crest, NJ. At the time it was full of mid-century motels which were mostly space themed (The Satellite) or Hawaiian, including our favorite destination, The Kona Kai. 

What did you want to be when you were a child?
I grew up in the 60s, so an astronaut, naturally. 

Do you play an instrument?
I played trumpet and flugelhorn for many years in middle and high school, and in a drum and bugle corps. 

Who is your hero? 
My wife, who has been the rock of our family, a great mother to our daughters and a glass ceiling breaker in business. 

What is your favorite genre to read?
I usually read non-fiction, often about science or about food and cooking. 

What makes you laugh the most?
I enjoy British comedy from Monty Python, the original "The Office" and movies like Simon Pegg's. 

What motivates you to work hard?
The desire to do the best by my students and live up to the high standards of my colleagues. 

What is your favorite thing about your career?
I like seeing students I've taught in the past and how they grow and accomplish so much. 

What is your proudest accomplishment?
I am proudest of raising two daughters to be smart, thoughtful, involved young women. They have always been best friends despite being seven years apart. 

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?
I'd love to be able to cook in a high quality, fast-paced restaurant kitchen. 

What is your favorite game or sport to watch?
I have been a big supporter of Chelsea Football Club from London, UK, for about 25 years. My Saturday mornings are spent watching as many Premier League matches as I can.