Welcome Mr. Frengel!
by Elia McKnight, Electrical Occupations Class of 2023 (Laurel)
If you’ve been walking down the hall to class and noticed a new face or two floating around in our education department, you may have spotted Mr. Frengel. The newest addition to our teaching staff, Mr. Frengel accepted our learning support teaching position in September. Filling in Mrs. Caiazza’s shoes for any job must be difficult, but Mr. Frengel makes it look like a breeze!
In an interview, he comments, “I cannot recall a time when he didn't wish to become an educator.” Evidently, he has fulfilled that dream as he has been in the teaching field for over three decades!
A graduate of Slippery Rock University, Mr. Frengel received his degree in Special Education in 1994. From there, he taught at Oil City School District for twenty-seven years before retirement. However, Mr. Frengel felt the call of teaching once again. He acquired a position at Laurel Jr.-Sr. High School as Cyber Coordinator and worked there for some time before moving on to LCCTC. Mr. Frengel applied for his current position in August and accepted the offer shortly after.
“I appreciate how our school offers various pathways into the vocational world,” states Mr. Frengel. “It broadens their horizons and moves them toward a field they love.” He adds that when teaching, having longer but fewer periods makes for more time to progress at a comfortable pace; this enables students to learn about topics in depth - quality over quantity.
A fun fact about Mr. Frengel is that he, not only, is involved in our school’s academic arena, but he also takes a part in the athletic arenas as well. For thirty years, he has officiated local high school football, basketball, baseball, and softball games, and sometimes, those students are our students!
Since he has been here, he has been a huge blessing to our school, inspiring kids to work toward their own goals and become proud of their own accomplishments. Mr. Frengel believes in living life doing what makes you happy; life is short - have fun!
