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Verde Magazine

Verde Magazine

Verde Magazine

CS teacher, former robotics coach Kuszmaul returns from leave

Photo+from+May%2C+2018+story+CS%2C+ROBOTICS+PREPARING+FOR+MAJOR+CHANGES%3A+FRIEBEL%2C+KUSZMAUL+OUT%2C+BOARD+CONSIDERS+CS+REQUIREMENT
Photo from May, 2018 story ‘CS, ROBOTICS PREPARING FOR MAJOR CHANGES: FRIEBEL, KUSZMAUL OUT, BOARD CONSIDERS CS REQUIREMENT’

After a leave of absence for the past semester, former Palo Alto High School computer science teacher and robotics coach Christopher Kuszmaul has returned to teach the spring semester of computer science classes.

Kuszmaul will teach Advanced Placement Computer Science, Game Design, Functional Programming and Object Oriented Programming, but will not resume his role as robotics coach and reportedly will not be re-selected for the position. A search process for a new permanent coach following the position’s vacancy after former computer science teacher and robotics coach Kathleen Krier’s resignation last October is pending, according to Assistant Principal Tom Keating.

“What we all agree on is that as a tenured teacher who was on leave, it’s appropriate for me to be able to come back into a tenured teacher position,” Kuszmaul said.

According to robotics team Build Captain Lawrence Chang, the team has been off to a strong start to the build season amid the head coach turnarounds.

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“The robotics team has been thriving,” Chang said. “The interim coach basis is being handled by pretty much the entire leadership team and a few very dedicated parents and mentors and it’s honestly going very well.”

Kuszmaul said he expects to remain at Paly for the foreseeable future.