The 2025-’26 school year has started off on a good note as WMC welcomes six new faculty members.
The Special Education department welcomes Mr. Costa, Mr. Hennelly, and Mr. McCumber. WMC looks forward to their educational and emotional impact on our student body.
Central also welcomes their previous student, Mr. Matechak, to the English department. Currently, he is teaching sophomores, and juniors as a sub for Mrs. Patella while she is out on maternity leave.
As a former student, he appreciates the energy that Long Valley students bring into class every day. He’s been teaching for six years, and hopes to get all of his students to work on their critical thinking skills. He plans on taking his lessons to the next level of comprehension and having students strengthen their mindset to further their understanding of the content because as a teacher he finds that “we learn things more deeply in that way.” The student body would benefit greatly throughout their high school and future careers with a better comprehension skill set and we’re grateful to experience it with Mr. Matechak’s teaching!
WMC also welcomes Mr. Rios to the math department as he teaches sophomores, juniors, and seniors. After teaching in four other districts, Rios hopes to settle in at West Morris Central, and start a family with his wife.
Rios’s main goal with his teaching is to get his class moving around and forming communities in his classrooms. He believes that having an engaging learning experience is beneficial for one’s thinking skills. He sees the importance of passion and hopes to achieve an unforgettable style of teaching for those who enter his classroom. “I love math,” Rios stated. “But there are other aspects that I want to share with the community.” After sharing his view on what he wants his role to be for his students, it seems as though he’s doing just that.
Mr. Henelly is yet another new faculty member, and he works in the special education department. He also works alongside his father at football games!
He is currently teaching freshmen and sophomores, and as another former student, he’s adjusting well with the help of familiarity for these halls. Henelly finds that it is an honor to have the opportunity to teach at his alma mater. He’s been teaching for eight years at different schools, one being Basking Ridge, and he said that it gave him “a broader perspective” on teaching. His class is “student-centered, supportive, and rooted in mutual respect” in order to create a comfortable setting for his students. “Teaching here is more than a job,” he claims. “It’s a chance to give back to a community that gave so much to me.”
These new additions to the faculty are clearly going to fit in wonderfully and WMC can’t wait to spend these next few months with them.
