In his 12 years at the high school, Juan Paniagua has taught nearly every math course in the department, from College Prep Algebra II to Advanced Placement Calculus. Throughout his time, he has left a lasting legacy as a caring, approachable and often humorous teacher.
Before becoming a math teacher, Paniagua taught at a state university in Mexico City and later worked in engineering after earning a doctorate degree in the United States. Finding the work repetitive, he shifted careers after his son was born. A summer program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst helped him become a certified math teacher.
Paniagua began as a substitute teacher and soon transitioned into a full-time role, where he has taught ever since. After over a decade as a math teacher, Paniagua is retiring to have more time and flexibility in his life.
“I’ve lived in the U.S. for 34 years and haven’t seen my family as often as I’d like since they live in Mexico,” Paniuagua said. “One of the reasons for retiring early is to have more flexibility to travel and see them more often.”
Math Department Chair Joshua Paris said that it has been a pleasure to work with Paniagua.
“He brings so much joy and energy to his teaching practice and thoughtfulness. He really thinks carefully about his practice and is very reflective about the way he interacts with students,” Paris said. “He’s also just very flexible. We have conversations about teaching and learning, and he’s open to new ideas all the time.”
Sophomore Ilya Tagiev, a student in Paniagua’s Algebra II Advanced class, said he stands out from previous teachers.
“What really set Mr. Paniagua apart was how much he genuinely cared that everyone understood the material,” Tagiev said. “He always took the time to explain things clearly and was willing to personally help any student who needed it.”
Paris said that in a previous year, he had walked by Paniagua’s classroom on their last day of class and saw the students giving him a standing ovation. According to Paris, Paniagua formed strong connections with his students by being a supportive teacher.
“He has high expectations for his students and shows them how much he cares, both as math students and as human beings,” Paris said. “That greatly impacts the way he’s able to establish relationships with kids.”
Throughout his time at the high school, Paniagua said he had a particular interest in the arts because he enjoys participating in theater in his free time. He said he pays attention to the school’s theater productions and enjoys seeing his students perform. He also said he finds the “Days of” programming to be particularly memorable.
“This school is unique in that sense. Not many high schools around the country provide opportunities for those days,” Paniagua said. “It’s been very meaningful to be part of this community in that respect.”
Paniagua said he will miss the daily interactions with students and colleagues the most. Being around students, he said, helped him stay in touch with current trends. Looking ahead, he hopes he will leave behind a positive impression.
“I hope they remember a teacher who didn’t take himself too seriously all the time. I allow myself to joke. I try to keep an environment that feels playful,” Paniagua said. “I hope they remember that they had some fun in my class, that it wasn’t so bad to be with Mr. Paniagua for 55 minutes every day.”
Tagiev said Paniagua’s teaching style left a strong impact on him and his classmates.
“I think students will remember him as a teacher who was always in a good mood, brought a lot of energy and humor to the class and was always there to help,” Tagiev said.
Both students and teachers said they will miss Paniagua after his retirement, professionally and personally.
“In a lot of ways, he’s kind of the soul of the math department,” Paris said. “He’s a kind and caring person, and I think other people in the department and in the school see him that way as well.”
