Michelle Hayes – High School Math Teacher

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job description: Michelle teaches Algebra 1 and 2

Typical day: Michelle lives on five acres near Mt. Teneriffe, about seven miles outside downtown North Bend. She also has two young children—so her day starts early! Her first two classes at the high school are prep and office periods. “It’s nice to have that quiet time to organize and get ready for class,” says Michelle. She teaches Algebra 2 starting at third period, and Algebra 1 in the afternoon.

Best part of the job: “I love math,” says Michelle. “I enjoy helping kids make sense of it – to own the knowledge themselves. It’s not always easy for them to see how math matters in real life. Some of it is learning to think and problem-solve. Some of it is making connections among concepts and how they might apply to a possible career path.”

Years in district: Ten years. Michelle worked for Sylvan Learning Center previously. Before that, she was a dealership auditor for Yale Forklift in New Jersey.

Something people may not know: Growing up in a food-loving Italian family in New Jersey, Michelle developed a passion for cooking. “My mom and grandma were the kind of cooks who never bothered to write things down,” she says. “You just had to sit by their sides and learn.” Her sister is an executive chef, and Michelle would like to open a restaurant someday. Michelle was also a competitive horseback rider for fifteen years, starting at age five.

Outside interests: When she’s not cooking, Michelle enjoys hiking, fishing, and family fun time. Michelle and her husband, Jason, an arborist, have two children – Matthew, age five, and Jacob, age two.