Holy Cross Educator

ABOUT MITCH

WHY IS HOBAN SPECIAL?

“This is a community where people care about each other and support each other. I was taken in as a young teacher and treated very well and given the opportunity to contribute, and I hope I’ve given some of that back as I’ve become a veteran teacher. I had only been teaching here a couple years when I knew that this is where I wanted my kids to come to school to have the Hoban experience. This is a place full of great teachers and great coaches. It’s a place where between our shared faith and our commitment to helping young people grow, we live up to our mission statement. Hoban is a place committed to helping young people and their families be everything they can be.”

WHICH HOLY CROSS VALUE RESONATES MOST FOR YOU?

“I think at different points in my career I would give you a different answer. Right now, I’m going to say Inclusiveness. There is a very conscious and continuous effort from our administration and faculty to make sure that people are not only made to feel welcome here, but are celebrated in a place that brings people together.”

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER CURRENT/FUTURE EDUCATORS ABOUT BEING A PART OF THE HOBAN FAMILY?

“This is a school where you need to be prepared to give a lot of yourself, but you will get far more in return if you are willing to be there for the kids and the people you work with in every possible way. It is incredibly rewarding.”

ABOUT MITCH

“My wife Noreen and I have been married for 39 years. We have two children who are Hoban alumni - Renee ’01 and Marcus ’04. I also have three grandchildren ages 4, 3 and 1. Noreen and I are very involved in the music scene and love traveling to Nashville and Key West. I play the guitar, harmonica and keyboard and have been involved in several bands throughout the years. Another big part of our family life is competing in local running events.” Mitch Wagner, pictured with Brother James Spooner, was awarded the 2022 Brother James Spooner Heart and Mind Award.

HOLY CROSS EDUCATOR

MITCH WAGNER CHAIR OF THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS COORDINATOR

Mitch Wagner has worn many different hats during his 31 years at Hoban, but it is clear that his students, and the wellness of the Hoban community as a whole, has always been at the forefront of his priorities. Wagner started coaching football at Hoban in 1987 under the direction of Clem Caraboolad and immediately felt comfortable amongst the Hoban community. Upon graduation from the University of Akron in 1991, he was asked to join the faculty as a health and physical education teacher, a role he gladly accepted.

During his service at Hoban, he has coached girls tennis and softball, taught website development and has been the department chair of the health and wellness department for more than 20 years. In his most recent role as health and wellness coordinator, Wagner develops programming to support student wellness and coordinates the Hoban drug and alcohol testing and follow-up program. This role also encompasses all aspects that potentially affect student wellness with a focus on healthy social media use and relationships, mental and emotional wellness, physical wellness and helping adolescents wisely navigate tough decisions and choices.

“In my mind, the biggest part of teaching physical education is not in the skill development, it’s in the affective domain,” Wagner said. “I want kids to leave my classes enjoying physical activity and wanting to make it part of their lives. How good they are at it just isn’t that important. What is important is that they stay active and they find some positive quality of life through physical activity and through the social aspect it can bring.”

Wagner applies that philosophy in his physical education classes as well as in the many engaging electives he teaches such as: Functional Movement Training, Exercise Methods and Measurements, Lifetime Sports, Healthy Body Composition for Life and the newly created Women’s Self Defense class.

Lifetime Sports is one of the many classes that illustrates Wagner’s focus on wellness beyond high school. This unique elective focuses on sports that can be played well into adulthood that include tennis, badminton, pickleball, ultimate frisbee, team handball, volleyball, yoga and more. “By the time students leave this class, they should be able to join a rec league, knowing the rules and fundamentals,” Wagner said. “This is a class designed for kinesthetic learners who love physical activity and wish to stay active in a less competitive environment once they leave high school.”

In the fall, Wagner was the recipient of the Brother James Spooner Holy Cross Heart and Mind Award. This award is given to a Hoban Holy Cross educator with at least five years experience at Hoban and who demonstrates a commitment to inspiring students’ hearts and minds. Recipients must also model the 2021-22 school theme of Integrity during interactions with students, parents and colleagues.

“Many teachers are not award oriented, but receiving this award meant a lot to me because I have always admired Brother James, and this is his final year at Hoban,” Wagner said. “It was a nice surprise because there’s so many people at Hoban who do so much for our students. I did not expect to win this award, but when your peers recognize you, it is gratifying.”

Wagner was the fifth recipient of the award. Holy Cross educators make nominations and the entire faculty and staff vote for the winner.

“Mitch is a Holy Cross educator who I have always looked up to for his wisdom, his passion for life-long learning and his commitment to his family,” said Principal T.K. Griffith ’89. “A gifted speaker and musician as well, Mitch exudes the Holy Cross core value of Hope in all he does with our wellness program. His careful and compassionate dealings with families and students in sensitive situations speaks volumes about his character. We are blessed to have his institutional memory and talented professionalism here at the Castle.”