Mid-semester, former teacher Michael Dahle left Arrowhead to pursue another career, and a position in Business Education opened. On March 15, Arrowhead welcomed a new addition to its Business Education Department: Jana Danay.

Family and Consumer Education teacher Brenda King speaks highly of Arrowhead’s newest addition, saying her experience with technology classes makes her great for this position.

“Her resume and experience reflected great experiences with leadership roles, collaboration, and a passion for education,” King says. “Such strengths are important attributes to keeping an already great Business and Marketing Program current and relevant for our students.”

Danay has been teaching since 2003, when she started at Westosha Central High School. She taught at Westosha Central HS until 2001, when she left to teach at Hartford Union High School.

“I left [Hartford Union High School] because this opportunity opened up and aligned well with my skill set,” Danay says.

Arrowhead has a reputation for being a fantastic place to work and a great school, Danay says, and the Business Education Department is well-known for being one of the best in the state. Danay says that, combined with her prior experience, made her excited to apply for the position in Arrowhead’s Business Education Department. So far, Danay says her experience at Arrowhead has been great.

Danay says she is enjoying being a part of Arrowhead’s Business Education Department, and she is amazed at the number of co-curriculars students have at their fingertips. In her experiences thus far, Danay says she hasn’t found anything she dislikes about teaching at Arrowhead.

According to Danay, the students at Arrowhead have mostly been respectful during her transition to a new school, and she is enjoying getting to know the students in each of her classes.

“I love working with and getting to know the teenagers that I work with,” Danay says. “I love this age group because, for the most part, they can understand my sarcasm and humor, and teaching students IT and business skills are real world skills that they will definitely use in their future.”

Danay says that is why she loves being a teacher: working with her students and being able to inspire them. The one drawback about being an educator, Danay says, is grading.

Through her teaching experience at Arrowhead, Danay hopes to get the support and

friendships of the administrative team, make lifelong friendships within the teaching staff, and help inspire students to come back to share their success stories from their lives. Danay hopes to have a satisfying and positive career in education.

King praises Danay for taking on the teaching position while the semester was already underway. She worked hard to make the transition as smooth as possible, King says, and Danay has made it a positive experience for her students.

“Mrs. Danay is genuine, she values building relationships with students and with colleagues, and she is a just a pleasure to get to know,” King says. “When you stop and talk with her, the conversation just flows from one topic to another, demonstrating a natural ability for her to easily connect with others.”