McClintock High School is not just another school to many people on the Perry campus. Current staff members, including teachers, coaches, administration, and security guards have deep ties to MHS,. According to a recent survey, 22 staff members have connections to the old Tempe school which first opened it’s doors 1964 including individuals who either taught, coached or graduated from MHS.

Knowing that, as students of all grade levels looked over their 2013-14 schedules in July, it is likely that they found on it the name of a teacher with connections to MHS.

Of the number of staff with connections, the most recent, joining Perry staff this year, is Linda Moon.

Moon teaches Algebra 2 and Pre Calculus along with the highest levels of math taught here at Perry: Calculus 3 (also known as Differential Equations) and Linear Algebra. She was hired to fill this requirement as a high-level math teacher.

Serrano explains, “I already knew what kind of a teacher [Moon] was and that she would be a perfect fit at Perry.”

Along with teaching, Moon is an ASU graduate, Steelers fan, and mother of two.

Moon explains her motivation for coming to Perry after teaching for years at McClintock High School, in Tempe,  “After 21 years there, I wanted to see what else was out there and start fresh again.” She continues to explain that knowing the staff was an influencing decision in coming to work here. “I knew how wonderful Mr. Serrano was as a principal, and what a great school Perry was.”

Not coincidentally, Moon knew principal Dan Serrano, math department head Thomas Rothery, and many of the other teachers on campus from her days in Tempe. This made the transition to PHS easier for Moon.

“I worked closest with Mr. Rothery, who was once my intern,and taught math with me for 10 years,” she said. In addition to math, Moon also worked closely with Jim Fountain, who was then the MHS debate coach.

When the school opened eight years ago, Serrano left his administration position in Tempe for Perry, bringing with him some of the school’s original staff.

Some of the original staff from Perry’s first year who came from McClintock including Cindy Pino, Jessica Pullen, Kate Copic, and several other who have since moved on from PHS. Additionally, teachers Megan Freemole and Garald DeGrow took math from Moon at MHS.

As a result of the high numbers of staff with history at MHS, many teachers jokingly refer to PHS as “McClintock East”.

While she understands that grades are important, for Moon, teaching is much more than passing students in class.

“I want [my students] to understand the math that I teach, but also to teach them about real life.” She continues, “I care about them, and love having [them] come back years later to tell me about their achievements… It makes me know I am where I should be.”

“Ms. Moon has a positive report with all types of students, whether they are lower level mathematics students of the highest AP Calculus student,” Rothery explains. He continues, “She understands how to teach to all levels of learners.”

Teaching is her passion, and she explains, “If I could retire and only teach online so that I could travel one day, I would be very happy.”

Moon would testify, as McClintock’s slogan would tell you, “Once a charger, always a charger”…unless, of course, you become a Puma.