Welcome the new Teachers to CPHS!

Rubi Orellana

After a year of remote learning, Cliffside Park High School is finally back to in-person schooling. This year, CPHS is opening its doors to both old and new students—and even some new teachers! These teachers may have different backgrounds, but they all have one thing in common...They are all eager to help CPHS students be the best version of themselves and enjoy school.

Ms. Line is one of our new instructors. Ms. Line is from Wisconsin and relocated to New Jersey last year. In Wisconsin, she was an art teacher to elementary students in a small town. She earned a bachelor's degree in art education and became licensed to teach art through the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ms. Line enjoys Cliffside Park’s bustling nature. She believes that the best thing about teaching is when students get excited about learning. Ms. Line loves being able to see the different artistic creations her students make. In her free time, Ms. Line makes jewelry. She began her hobby when she was in high school and continued through college. She says that jewelry making can be pretty challenging and time-consuming, but it's always worth it for the final product. Ms. Line appreciates Cliffside Park High School’s friendly community and is beginning to feel at home.

Our next new addition to the CPHS faculty has been a Raider his whole life. Mr. Manzau grew up in the Cliffside Park and Fairview neighborhoods. He majored in math education at both Bergen Community College and Kean University. Mr. Manzau was warmly greeted by all of the instructors and students at CPHS and is excited to be with us all. He has an interesting secret talent, the ability to eat an oreo cookie without using his hands. Mr. Manzau exhibits his Cliffside Park pride by wearing Raider apparel and attending as many home games as he can.

Mr. Manzau is not the only new face in the math department. Ms. Mahilaj is a first-year teacher who earned her bachelor's and Master's degrees from Montclair State University. Ms. Mashilaj’s favorite part of teaching is being able to make a difference in the lives of her pupils. Ms. Mashilaj likes to learn about new locations, cultures, and customs; she plans to participate in extracurricular activities and create a comfortable learning environment for her students.

Mr. Montalban has experience teaching students of all ages. Throughout his career, he has worked with students from kindergarten to high school. Mr. Montalban has received numerous certificates in the realm of education with his specialties including Social Studies and Special Education. He attended Springfield College in Massachusetts and earned a BS in History and an MA in Education. Mr. Montalban will be coaching wrestling alongside coaches O'Hanlon and Sutera this winter.

Last, but not least, Ms. Quijano joined the Language Arts Department at CPHS. She was born in El Salvador and came to the United States when she was eleven years old. Ms. Quijano attended West New York's Memorial High School and graduated with honors. She earned a BA in English Literature and an MA in Secondary Education from New Jersey City University. Despite the fact that she did not attend CPHS, she feels at home. Her favorite thing about being a teacher is making a difference in the lives of others. Ms. Quijano did not have someone to look up to or relate to when she was in high school, her professors often dismissed her as an immigrant Hispanic girl who couldn't understand English. This experience drove Ms. Quijano to pursue a career in teaching so she could help students just like her high school self. She is thrilled with the diversity of our community. Cliffside Park students, parents, and instructors have given her nothing but respect, acceptance, and support. Ms. Quijano is looking forward to watching her students grow into amazing young adults this school year.

This is only a brief introduction to these educators. I hope that as time passes, each of us will have the opportunity to get to know these educators better. Let's give them a warm welcome and celebrate CPHS’s newcomers. The Cliffside Park Courier hopes they all have a great year!