Introducing Hills’ new Culinary Arts teacher: Mrs. Downes

Downes was originally a Culinary Arts teacher at Pascack Valley and has since taken over the position at Hills for reasons having to do with a lack of available staff and the Covid-19 pandemic. 

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Pascack Hills has recently welcomed a new teacher to its staff. Mrs. Julianne Downes is the new Culinary Arts teacher who took over for Mrs. Cindy Wagner, who retired last year. Downes was originally a Culinary Arts teacher at Pascack Valley and has since taken over the position at Hills for reasons having to do with a lack of available staff and the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Downes has prior experience teaching culinary, food prep, fashion design, and child development at other high schools like Valley and Northern Highlands.

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“I was asked to originally swing between Hills and Valley this year for Culinary, as we had the retirements of Ms. Listro and Ms. Wagner. Then, the district decided not to run the Early Childhood program due to Covid and Hills had to move all of the students enrolled in that program into Culinary Arts, opening up four sections and a Daily Food prep course. That is when I was asked to be here at Hills full-time,” Downes stated.

Since the former Valley teacher made her transition to Hills, she claims that she had trouble noticing a difference between the two schools. Her reasoning behind this was that both school districts consisted of a kind welcoming community:

“I cannot quite put my finger on exactly what the difference is between working at Hills vs. Valley, but I will say, I was welcomed with open arms and the entire staff has been nothing but supportive and kind to me. It will be a hard choice if I’m given options next year on where to go.”

When Downes was asked about her transition into Hills, she mentioned how moving jobs in the middle of a global pandemic could be and has been more difficult. But, the support she has been given from the community has helped her transition as smoothly as possible.

“I think that Hills in general has been so supportive of my moving here that it has been much easier than I could have imagined. That being said, teaching during Covid in general, Wow! Just Wow! I have no words.”

I think that Hills in general has been so supportive of my moving here that it has been much easier than I could have imagined. That being said, teaching during Covid in general, Wow! Just Wow! I have no words.

— Mrs. Downes

The culinary teacher has expressed that while the support she has gotten from the district has been incredible, transitioning job positions can be challenging during the middle of a pandemic.  She also shared certain struggles she faces along with how her teaching styles have altered massively due to the Coronavirus which forces administrators and staff to switch between virtual and hybrid schedules whenever someone from the community tests positive.   

“I am recording every cooking demo at home which takes time and the cooperation of everyone in my house to not make noise, and for me to learn some new technology. Then getting students to cook at home and coming up with alternate tasks that don’t involve cooking, but are related to the recipe. We used to do three recipes a week and now only one a week. Don’t get me started on the planning of labs for the rotation schedule and last minute shut downs! Food shopping during uncertain times is another thing altogether.”

Even though the coronavirus pandemic has impeded the possibility of having a normal school schedule, Downes shared some of her favorite parts of teaching culinary to her students, and projects she will continue to try to make possible for her students. 

“My two favorite things to teach in Culinary Arts are the Nutrition unit and knife skills. Nutrition is a passion of mine and so important to embrace when you’re younger to make good life choices. Knife skills are scary to teach but so essential for being quick and efficient in the kitchen.” 

Downes continued on to share some of her other favorite things to teach and why she believes that what she teaches is so important.   

“My favorite part of teaching family and consumer science is getting to know the students and watching them learn and apply important life skills. I always say that my class is the “most important” one you’ll take in high school because if you can’t feed yourself, you’ll die.  It seriously makes me smile when kids are so proud of the dishes they’ve prepared.”

While discussing her favorite things to teach to her students, Mrs. Downes also revealed her favorite activities to partake in outside of the classroom.  

“Outside of the classroom I like to do so many things! I have four kids ranging from 17-22, so I love going to their sporting events and spending as much time with them as they will tolerate. Lol. I also have four dogs so you can see me at dog parks every weekend letting them run. I love to do Yoga, kickbox, knit, read, garden, and cook vegan meals. So many things. Life is short. You have to get out there and do what nurtures your soul!”

After Mrs. Downes shared her favorite activities to involve herself in, she concluded by revealing why she made the decision to become a teacher. 

“When I went to URI back in the dinosaur age, JK, it was the early 90’s. I wanted to be a Home Ec. teacher or work in Fashion. I was encouraged to do fashion and told there would be no teaching jobs in Home EC when I graduated. I worked in fashion for a number of years and then for an architect doing freelance decorating. When I had my kids, I was exploring other career choices. My friend (then superintendent at Northern Highlands) inspired me to get my teaching certification as he knew that it was a dream of mine and said he had a position for me at his school when I was ready. Sometimes things just fall into place and I like to tell everyone you can have many careers in one life!” 

Mrs. Downes said that her future is unclear as to where she will work after this year since she was initially a Valley teacher.  

“This is going to be a really tough decision for me. I guess I will go where I am needed the most, but so far, I am really loving Hills!” 

Hill’s students and staff are happy to welcome Mrs. Downes into the Hills’ community for as long as we are fortunate to have her as a teacher. While her future at Hills is unclear, her students hope to see her stay in Hill’s classroom and continue to welcome her and perform to their best abilities in her class.  

“I will say that my remote students have been doing incredible, and so far during 100-percent virtual learning, I’m impressed by what my students have submitted from their ‘at home’ labs into their virtual cookbooks. Check out submissions over the next few weeks on my Instagram @jdownesfacs.”