The routine weekday for middle school science teacher Cassandra Ly begins at  7 a.m. when she walks into CESJDS. She starts the school day by running through her lesson plans. When the first bell rings, Ly heads to her classroom to teach for the day. After work, Ly enjoys spending time at home walking her dog, running, cooking and occasionally binge-watching “The Office” while grading.

Although she describes her typical day as somewhat “boring,” the challenges she has overcome to reach it are not.

Ly did not always plan to teach. In her first year of college, Ly was certain that she wanted to become a doctor. After about a year, however, she knew she wanted to work with kids, specifically in middle school.

Middle school was a difficult time for Ly and she still cringes when looking back on it today. Consequently, she feels a certain kinship with her students and wants to prevent them from feeling the same way that she did during those years, as well as to guide them based on her own experience.

Ly was not initially drawn to science either. In high school, her favorite class was math because it made sense to her.

“I chose [to teach] science because I really struggled with science, so I want to make science more accessible for my students,” Ly said.

In January, Ly moved from Colorado to Maryland because she wanted to be closer to her family and because she felt ready for a challenge. In Colorado, Ly taught seventh-grade science at a public school for five years, and she was looking for a similar job opportunity in Maryland.

When looking online, Ly saw a job posting for a middle school science teacher at JDS and immediately knew she it was the right job for her.

At first, Ly had some concerns about teaching at a private school, but was instantly impressed by the school’s core principles.

“I went to the [JDS] website and just reading about the values that are honored and respected, I was just like ‘wow, that’s what I believe in,’” Ly said. “That’s what drew me to JDS and what pushed me to apply.”

Although Ly is not Jewish, she has learned a lot about Judaism in her first month at JDS. She grew up with a Buddhist mother and a Catholic father, and was excited to get to experience a new religion and culture.

“The best thing about teaching is that you don’t stop learning, you’re always learning,” Ly said. “Whether it’s more about learning science or other subject areas, I’m learning more about myself and how to interact with students … and I really value that.”

Although Ly chose her career path based on two things she deeply struggled with, she believes that the challenges she faced help her grow. In her eyes, taking steps out of her comfort zone is necessary for her to thrive.

“Don’t get me wrong, there are tough days when I leave sobbing and crying …  [but] I do think I belong in a middle school,” Ly said. “Maybe because I’m just as awkward as middle-schoolers, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”