Mr. Hoagland has been teaching at Atherton for 11 years. Students may have found themselves in Room 210 through a number of classes he has taught from IB SL Language and Literature, Junior IB HL Literature, and, as of this year, Senior IB HL Literature. Mr. Hoagland started teaching IB classes online in 2020.
Mr. Hoagland spent his own school days pursuing his love of theatre. This passion would follow him into college, where he double majored in Theatre with an English minor in Speech at Wabash College. Mr. Hoagland remembers his time at Wabash fondly. Mr. Hoagland was able to pursue his craft to the fullest. From the scene shop, lighting, welding, to even acting in a few productions. In addition to his schooling, he also worked there for income.
“I was probably in that theatre 60 hours a week. Between the actual main stage productions and guest productions, I’m sure I worked on upwards of 40+ performances.”
After graduating summa cum laude from Wabash Class of 1993, he attended the University of Louisville for his Master of Arts in Teaching.
“At that point, I had committed to education. I wasn’t originally intending to teach, but when I went back to my high school to watch the senior play on alumni night, I got cornered by the theatre teacher and the principal. He asked me, ‘Have you ever considered education?’ I said, ‘No!’ But, they wanted me to come back and teach, and I did,” Mr. Hoagland said.
Mr. Hoagland would serve as Seneca’s drama instructor for 16 years until 2010. However, Mr. Hoagland’s road to Atherton was more winding. Andy Perry, Atherton’s old theatre teacher and friend of Mr. Hoagland’s, had always wanted him to move to Atherton.
“Eventually [Perry] called me and said he was going to retire and this would be the time to make the move,” Mr. Hoagland said.
For Mr. Hoagland, then finishing his fourth year at Doss and growing restless without the support for a theatre department, the news came at the perfect time.
When Atherton first welcomed Mr. Hoagland in 2014, he taught theatre, as he would for three years.
“The first year I was here I taught Theatre all day long. That was really amazing,” Mr. Hoagland said.
As of 2017, Mr. Hoagland’s reach had expanded further to Speech and Debate, Creative Writing, and Humanities. However, following Ms. Alsup’s retirement, Dr. Eberly took note and requested Mr. Hoagland move to the English department.
“I saw it as an honor to be asked,” Mr. Hoagland asserted.
Mr. Hoagland is retiring this year following a 21 year-long teaching career. He looks forward to spending more time with his family and his children.
“Right now I’m trying not to think about it. Just trying to maintain the intensity all the way to the end, then I’ll worry about all that. But, it has been a very rewarding career. I don’t regret a minute of it. I knew it was my calling and I have no question that this is what I was meant to do,” Mr. Hoagland said.
Undoubtedly, Mr. Hoagland has left his mark on Atherton.
