As a young girl, Susan Muise could already identify her passions. Years later, she spends every day taking part in them.

Muise is new to Algonquin this year, and teaches Nutrition and Culinary Arts, a cooking class, as well as Early Childhood Development, a class in which high school students run an on-site preschool. The courses are two that she has had plenty of experience with.

“Before working at Algonquin, I taught the same courses [that I teach here] at Bedford High School in Massachusetts for five years,” Muise said.

In fact, she has been a resident of New England her entire life.

“I grew up in Stratford, Connecticut,” Muise said, explaining that she stays in the region for the weather and the predictability. “I like that I know what to expect, you know? I don’t like the idea of going anywhere where there are giant spiders that I don’t know about.”

It was at her elementary school in Stratford that Muise first expressed an interest in teaching.

“After completing kindergarten, I thought, ‘I should be able to teach it,’” Muise said. “By high school, I had pretty much decided that teaching was in my future.”

The subjects that she selected to major in were natural choices.

“I have always enjoyed cooking,” Muise said. “My earliest memories of it were with my dad on Sundays mornings. After church, we would make pancakes together. Now, I mostly cook for other people. My favorite dishes are ones that are impressive and that work.”

As for Early Childhood Development, Muise loves teaching the class because she gets to watch the growth of both the high school and the preschool students as the semester progresses.

Overall, Muise is excited to continue the profession she loves at Algonquin.

“So far, everyone here has been very friendly, very willing to help,” Muise said. “I’m looking forward to being apart of Algonquin’s community and getting to know everyone here.”