The new science teacher at IHS, Matthew Patterson, has new goals for his students. "My goal is to raise the test scores and to help Italy HS become recognized. “I want to do this by getting students interested in science again. I would also like to have a part in making the students Italy HS better people in all aspects of their lives.”

Matthew Patterson was born and raised in El Paso. He graduated from Bel Air High School in 1990. “My favorite class was physics. I took physics I and II with the same teacher, Robert Casao, and we have stayed in contact to this day. He is still teaching at Monteood HS in El Paso.” His parents still live in El Paso, “My dad retired from Southwestern Bell and he and my mom now stay busy being foster parents.”

Patterson attended Texas A&I-Kingsville, University of Texas-El Paso and Texas A&M-Corpus Christ. “My degree is actually from Excelsior College in Albany, New York. The reason for this is that I finished my degree while I was in the Coast Guard. Excelsior College has agreements with all the armed services to accept all transfer credits in order to confirm a degree.” Patterson has a BS in Liberal Studies.

Arriving at IHS, Patterson can officially claim this as his 9th year of teaching. “My first teaching job was at St. Joseph Catholic School in Waxahachie,” Matthew explained. During his teaching career, Patterson taught at Venus ISD from 2006-2010.

Lee Joffre explained about the good feelings regarding the new hire, “Mr. Patterson will be a great science teacher for Italy High School. He understands that a great science teacher must engage students in learning that is exciting to the student. I am glad he is with us.”

Mr. Patterson would like to get his Gladiator students involved with science, “It’s all about hands on activities. When students can put their hands on things it really helps their learning. This doesn’t mean we don’t have to do the background work, we will still need to read and solve problems before we can understand what we are putting our hands on. I enjoy teaching newton’s Laws of Motion because I let the kids use a hover craft that I built in a workshop some years ago.”

Patterson recently moved to Italy. “I have always wanted to live in a small town. I am looking forward to being more than just a teacher at the high school. I would like to be apart of this community.” When he isn’t teaching, Mr. Patterson likes to read and play guitar, “I have been taking (guitar) lessons for the past two and a half months and I try to take time everday to practice. I also spend time studying my Bible and being involved with my church. I have also spent quite a bit of time helping out a missionary that works in Brownsville and Matamoros. She is 88 years young and it has been such a blessing to know her and help out,” Patterson explained.

We are happy to have Mr. Patterson teaching at IHS and apart of this community. Welcome to Italy, Texas, Mr. “P”.