Many of Mr. Evan Baranowski’s students have taken a liking to his exciting teaching style and easy-going personality, demonstrated by his simple mnemonic to remember the pronunciation of his name. But, who is he outside of the classroom? Intrigued by his flawless entrance to the Mount and countless positive reviews, I took the plunge to sit down with the man himself and get his perspective on his new position.
Prior to this interview, I had one interaction with Mr. B., and I immediately fan-girled over his salmon suit and suave entrance. Exuding confidence, Mr. Baranowski strutted into my Capstone class as a substitute with impeccable flair only a cool English teacher could pull off. Immediately, I noticed the book in his hands and knew I was missing out on not being one of his students. In the interview, he talked about his up-and-coming personal library in his classroom (308) which will be open to one and all. His favorite read of 2022 is the book “The Remains of the Day” by Kazuo Ishiguro. Make sure to add that to your reading list! I asked Mr. B. how his first week at our beloved MSDA went, and he said he “felt so welcome” and was ready to be “a person to trust” and work with his students in a professional capacity. Mr. Baranowski is so excited to see how eager his students are to offer him involvement as club moderator for their extracurriculars. Before the Mount, he worked “all over New Jersey in maternity-leave positions,” but this is his first time teaching at a Catholic school. Naturally, it was a completely different atmosphere, but he is “accustomed to change” and looking forward to “immersing himself in the Mount community”.
When asked why he chose to become an English teacher, he said he always felt compelled to use his passions to help the world. And by world, he really meant it! Mr. B. is a huge globetrotter, having traveled to Ethiopia to study abroad, Japan to teach English, and a number of states in America. Originally, Mr. Baranowski had his heart set on a future in performing arts, and he even went to school to study theater, but found a more fitting place for himself as an English teacher. He relayed his “passion for storytelling” and how excited he is to expand his reach past his classroom. Japan held “several lightbulb moments” for Mr. B. that solidified his decision to pursue teaching. After hearing from his students and their parents about the impact his teaching had on them, he knew that he had found his calling. With such a broad horizon, Mr. B. longs to use his experiences to inspire his students and “give them a larger perspective of the world” and give them insight to “how truly diverse the world is.” Outside of the classroom, Mr. B. is baking bread (something which his students love to hear stories about!), hiking and exploring the great outdoors, traveling far and wide, reading (obviously), and engaging in performing arts. The most surprising hobby Mr. Baranowski admitted to liking, a secret he hopes some will “vibe with” and won’t “stain his reputation” is that he is a gamer!
A surprise visit during our interview from a fellow new teacher Mr. Nugent revealed that Mr. B. is already acclimated with his faculty coworkers. Mr. Nugent said that he and Mr. Baranowski “get along well” and often collaborate as fellow English teachers. Clearly, Mr. Baranowski has demonstrated an amazing introduction to Mount St. Dominic Academy, and we can’t wait to see what else he has to offer the Mount!

Please share our stories: