by Arta Ajdini, NHS Member

The man, the myth, the legend, Mr. Stagg is a jack of all trades. Before his teaching career, he worked at a racetrack, as well as in the food service industry, and has even been a wrestling coach. How does one do all of that and then become a high school culinary arts teacher? Well, you’re about to find out. 

He never wanted to be a teacher because he was always in the food service industry. It was never on his radar until the school he was coaching wrestling at had an opening for a culinary arts teacher. He realized that would be something he would be interested in and he went for it. He did not get the job because he was not licensed as a teacher and didn’t have any experience teaching, but that didn’t stop him. He was determined to be a culinary arts teacher, so he got licensed, and finally landed a job as one right here at Fair Lawn High School and he’s been here ever since. 

Many students can agree that Mr. Stagg’s class is one of the best and that is because his labs and recipes are always changing. He makes his class as fun and enjoyable as possible. He is always willing to lend a helping hand. Mr. Stagg loves being a teacher. He is inspired by students and loves their reactions to how recipes come out. He gets to see how pleased they are with their work right away and that is something that not all teachers get to see. Mr. Stagg also believes that students keep him young. The only thing that he dislikes about being a teacher is grading and no one can blame him for that. He shows that he cares about his students by passing on wisdom. One of my favorite sayings of his is “head on a swivel” -- meaning make sure you watch your surroundings, which is extremely important to do in the world we’re in today.

As well as being a teacher, Mr. Stagg is a lover of nature. He spends his time outside, whether that is hiking or camping. He also wrestled until he was sixty years old. Impressive, right? He spends his summers traveling with his wife, seeing new places, and finding different foods to try. Mr. Stagg says to “always be grateful for what you have.” He believes that people have to take advantage of the beautiful world that we are in. When asked what his “trapped on a desert island” movies are he responded with the Shawshank Redemption. He has watched it over and over again and believes it is the best movie ever created and many people can agree.

Although I might be biased because I am a student of Mr. Stagg’s, I believe that he is by far one of the most fun, engaging, hands-on, and hilarious teachers I have ever had. He never lets any of his students down and makes sure that everyone is doing their best. Mr. Stagg allows there to be a comfortable environment in his classroom and makes everyone feel welcomed, which is extremely important for students to feel. I can proudly say that it is a privilege to be a part of Mr. Stagg’s class.