You Don’t Have to Go to Cali– Cali Came to Us

With the start of a brand new school year, students and staff have witnessed a September filled with many new beginnings, such as science teacher Mr. Alexander Cali’s career at VHS.

Before his first job teaching multiple classes here at VHS, Mr. Cali grew up in Blairstown, New Jersey, a small town of only about 5,900 people, located in Warren County. He then attended Montclair State University where he earned his undergraduate degree in physics, and his master’s degree in mathematics.

Though he hasn’t been teaching here for much time yet, Mr. Cali is pleased by how overwhelmingly nice everybody is. “It has a very homelike atmosphere,” he said. He also appreciates the good nature of his students. As a new teacher, Mr. Cali admittedly anticipated some less than compliant student behavior, but his classroom experiences have been positive so far. “I’m not fighting for control,” he shared.

Mr. Cali’s passions extend beyond the classroom walls. A guitar enthusiast, he has been playing guitar since he was 14-years old. He enjoys playing and listening to guitar virtuosos, like Joe Satriani. Additionally, Mr. Cali is very interested in basketball, and has been playing since the third grade. Though he has not had the time to play basketball consistently as he adjusts to the schedule of his teaching career, look for him in the stands, as he plans to attend VHS basketball games this upcoming winter season.

When asked if he had messages for his students that he wanted them to know, Mr. Cali looked up for a moment, then smiled and said half-jokingly, “Lab tomorrow?” He believes it is important for students to realize that with perseverance and “taking on one little hurdle at a time”, a seemingly large or challenging problem can be overcome. There is a potential for greatness that every student carries within them, not just the students of VHS, he explained. “Everyone is capable of everything,” he smiled.