“Mr. Baugh is the best math teacher I’ve ever had,” said senior Jojo Azevedo, who was in Chris Baugh’s class for three years. “I could have not gone this far without him. I’m really happy that I learned a lot when he was my math teacher.”

Since 2005, Baugh has taught Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2, and starting in the 2022-23 school year, he will add the math department lead position to his responsibilities. 

The math department lead is in charge of managing the department budget, attending department lead meetings and communicating with administration and teachers in the department. Department leads are a three-year commitment and are selected every cycle through application. When applications opened this year, Baugh decided to give it a shot. 

“Having taught for so long, I decided that it is a good opportunity for me to advance myself professionally, so I decided to apply,” Baugh said. 

As the math department lead, Baugh plans to make the classroom environment better for students, find the right amount of homework to give to students to decrease stress and create more opportunities for students to work collaboratively in groups.

Baugh has developed strong bonds with the other math teachers over his five years of teaching at Lynbrook. He hopes that these relationships can stimulate change. 

“All of the teachers here are very strong teachers,” Baugh said. “In my experience, I’ve never seen a more dedicated and professional group of people that are committed to not only teaching students math but also making sure they understand and appreciate it.” 

To Baugh, the most rewarding part of being a math teacher is watching his students overcome challenges. Baugh feels a sense of purpose in lifting his students up and helping them understand math concepts. 

“I teach students that are perceived to be at the lower end of the math spectrum,” Baugh said. “I like that Lynbrook students are very dedicated and hardworking, but within that, I feel like that there is a lot of competition, and sometimes the students that I serve are ridiculed because they’re not in honors or AP classes. I feel like I get to be their advocate and talk to other leaders at the school about the things that they need.”

According to his students, Baugh’s classroom is an inclusive and joyful place to learn.  

“He likes to tease you and joke with you,” Azevedo said. “He is always understanding and flexible when it comes to homework and tutorial hours.”

Baugh hopes his tenure will be impactful on the student body. 

“I’m really excited to do this and hopefully be a positive influence on the department and contribute to a positive change in school culture,” Baugh said. “But it’s going to take all of us together: It’s going to take me in the lead role, admin, students, the other teachers and parents. If we want to change, we have to do it together.”