An Introduction to the New Teachers

As is tradition, we yet again welcome new teachers to the Seisen community! In this article, I will introduce four new teachers in the HS/MS department, Mr. Christian De Leon, Mrs. Kim DeLeon, Mr. Scott Bycroft, and Ms. Tara Matuszek.

 

Christian DeLeon (He/Him): Design, HR Chokai 4

Mr. DeLeon taught in Fort Worth, Texas, for 12 years, and then moved to teach at QSI International School in Georgia before moving to Tokyo. He is passionate about education, as made evident by his Bachelor of Science in Horticulture, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing, and Masters of Fine Arts in Studio Arts. Drawing, painting, pottery, watching movies, listening to music, and simply making things are some of his hobbies. He doesn't have a pet, but he'd like to get a small dog. An interesting fact about him is that he was a cheerleader in high school. When asked what he thinks of Seisen, he noted that students are somewhat quiet and reserved. He does, however, mention that some students make an effort to get to know the teacher through simple greetings. So, when you see him in the corridors, say,

"Hello, Mr. C!".

He loves those!

 

Kim DeLeon (She/Her): Mathematics, HR 7-1

Mrs. DeLeon moved to Japan with her husband and their two children, Ava and Lily, after living in Tbilisi, Georgia, and Texas, USA before that. She loves reading, writing stories, cooking and baking, making crafts, and finding delicious foods to eat in her free time. She has had dogs in the past, and just like Mr. DeLeon, would love another one now. A random fact about her is that she worked at a movie theater as a teenager and used to keep a giant poster of Tom Cruise from one of his marquees. She mentions that it was a little more than 3 meters tall! When asked how she likes Seisen, she says she finds that the teachers and staff have been very helpful and welcoming!  

 

Scott Bycroft (He/Him): MS/HS Art, HR Iwaki 2

Mr. Bycroft joined Seisen after ten years of teaching at a private boys' school in Perth, Western Australia. He has a 5-year-old daughter named Rinka who attends Seisen and a 3-year-old son named Ren who attends St Mary's. After years of teaching boys, he considers teaching girls at Seisen to be a "breath of fresh air”. Something that will surprise you though, is that he is not new to Tokyo, as he has lived here since the mid-2000s, and his wife is from Saitama, Japan. He also told a fascinating story about his wife's family. He described her family as:

"a farming family that [have] lived on the exact same land for around 450 years, and grow their own rice, vegetables and fruit and they make things like miso paste, pickles, ume boshi, ume juice, etc, etc”.

When asked about his interests, Mr. Bycroft stated that he enjoys surfing. He has been surfing since he was young and finds it to be his “ultimate freedom”; while also expressing how he loves to connect with “the natural rhythm of the planet”. Mr. Bycroft also has a Shiba Inu named Umi, who he claims “hates the beach though…”. Moreover, when asked about the environment at Seisen, he said he finds it super warm and welcoming. He also says that he is VERY impressed by the creativity and artistic talent at Seisen! 
 

Tara Matuszek (She/Her): Design, Computer Science, HR Iwaki 4

Ms. Tara recently moved to Japan with her husband, and this is her first visit. She has two cats, but they will only be joining her and her husband two months later due to visa issues. She enjoys a variety of activities, including rock climbing, hiking, reading, and traveling. When asked how she likes the environment at Seisen, she stated that

"the staff and younger students [are] very welcoming."

She does notice that the older students are more reserved, which she attributes to the amount of stress and workload they are responsible for. As a result, she wants her students to develop a growth mindset so that they can create a more welcoming class and environment.

 

We are thrilled to welcome so many new students and teachers this year, and we look forward to creating new memories with the new members of our school community in the coming years! We hope the new teachers have a wonderful time and form long-lasting bonds with the students.