Mr. Duarte is Cathedral Catholic’s new Assistant Dean of Students on campus and he is much more than just his title. Mr. Duarte has been a teacher at CCHS for 12 years now, teaching classes such as Catholic Faith, Philosophy, and Speech & Debate over the years. His impact on campus, whether that be building connections with his students or bringing Christ into the picture, should not go unnoticed.
Mr. Duarte reflects on his unique approach to teaching. For him, the classroom isn’t just a place for lessons, as it is a platform for something deeper. “I never thought of myself as a high school teacher,” he shares. “Even though I’ve been doing it for so long. What I really want to do is just be a person who is able to bring the message of Christ to as many people as I can. If I have 30 people sitting in front of me every day, that’s a pretty good way of doing it,” Duarte adds. “That’s really what I want to do not to teach but to bring Christ to people. If teaching is the way I could do that, all the better.”
As much as Mr. Duarte loves to teach in other subjects, when the administration on campus offered him the role of assistant dean, he started to change his tune: “I thought to myself, you know what, I think I could do a lot of good in that role. Something that I have already been doing in my classrooms. I thought my talents and skills could be used for the better. I really like it and think that it was a smart move.”
Mr. Duarte has a clear and purposeful approach each day with his new role as Assistant Dean of Students: “My day-to-day is focusing on the wellbeing of students, mostly by making sure they have structure and predictability.” He expresses. “Another factor is making sure that they are on time and looking sharp when they are here, as well as generally having safety around them.”
On top of his new role, Mr. Duarte is also teaching a Speech & Debate course. Harlow Jarvis, a freshman at CCHS, has him as her teacher this year, and gives us a deeper look into how he is in the classroom: “Mr. Duarte is the best. He always finds ways to connect with us on a deeper level and always tries to make us laugh or smile,” says Harlow.
Mr. Duarte’s impact on campus should not go unnoticed, as he emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive environment for all students here on campus. Next time you see him on campus, remember that he is not just the assistant dean but an amazing attribution to the CCHS community.
