Chris Schreckengost, a statistics teacher, said that being a teacher is about more than just teaching, but it’s also about connection and appreciating the little things.
Open spaces and a sense of community characterized Schreckengost’s early years in the small Pennsylvanian town of Saxburg. He said, “My backyard backed up to a cornfield. It always felt like the neighborhood was a part of my family, even though I lived next to a restaurant.”
He attended a small high school that housed students in grades seven through 12 in a single building. “We went to school together for years because my brother was three years older than me,” he said. “School felt more connected and smaller as a result.”
After high school, he followed his strength in math into college and began teaching sixth and seventh graders in Pennsylvania. Later, he moved to Maryland, where his teaching career expanded across multiple schools, including Blake and Wootton. Over nearly three decades, he has taught Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Precalculus, BC Calculus, AP Statistics and a returning course called Statistical Applications of Mathematical Modeling (SAMS). “Every year brings new students, and they’re all different,” he said. “That’s what keeps it interesting.”
What makes Schreckengost unique, according to junior Samantha Missoi, is his ability to give each student a sense of understanding and belonging.”He is one of the most engaging teachers I’ve had at Wootton,” she said.
In addition to making the class enjoyable, he wants everyone to succeed. There is no pressure even when things are difficult. “He makes sure that no student feels left behind by checking in with them individually,” she said. “His care for us is evident.”
Outside the classroom, Schreckengost channels his creativity into family life. In the winter, he can often be found in the basement building with his kids, playing with LEGO sets, “whatever chaos we have down there,” he said. He’s especially looking forward to building the new Death Star set, though he admits it will require patience and dedication.
When LEGO bricks do not surround him, he’s usually surrounded by water. Schreckengost is a certified scuba diver, a passion he shares with his wife and oldest daughter. Diving has become a family tradition. “We’re a scuba family,” he said. “One of our retirement plans is to take multiple cruises around Australia so we can dive there. If I could live anywhere for a year, it would definitely be Australia.”
The curiosity for how things work extends to his lifelong interest in engineering, a field he said he might have pursued if he hadn’t gone into education. “I’ve always liked problem-solving and figuring things out,” he said. “Engineering would have let me keep that mathematical side, but teaching lets me share it with others.”
The same principles that initially inspired Schreckengost to teach still serve as his compass nearly 30 years later. Whether he’s assisting a student, building LEGO sets with his children, or organizing a future scuba diving excursion, those attributes are evident in everything he does.
