You can tell that Matt Kocay loves his job. As the assistant varsity football coach and head coach to KO’s middle school football, basketball, and baseball teams, Matt brings warmth, positivity, and encouragement to his athletes. He believes in the transformative power of sports – not only in terms of athleticism – but in teaching life lessons.

Jeffrey Gonzalez has taught science for 18 years in both public and independent schools. He creates an intellectually stimulating and engaging curriculum for students, and he has an innate ability to relate to students, so they achieve their very best, often with great humor. “I expect high-quality work from all of my students. My classes are always challenging, and I make them that way to push the student to his maximum effort, in order to show the students that he/she can handle the work,” he said. While encouraging his students to move out of their comfort zone, he makes himself readily available through email or during office hours to ensure the student that they are never going it alone.