This year, our Mathematics Department welcomes Kimberly McDowell, whose love for numbers stretches back to her own high school days. Although she always had an affinity for math, McDowell attributes much of her passion to the teachers who inspired her as a student.

Over the years, she has developed a teaching mantra, one that shapes every moment in her classroom: “Always do what’s best for the student. Always.” 

 “No matter what we’re discussing as educators, the focus should always remain on what benefits the kid,” she said.

This resolute philosophy has served her well. McDowell recalls countless gifts and cherished memories from her teaching journey, but none more special than when former students return to thank her for believing in them and pushing them harder than they thought possible.

For McDowell, her students are at the heart of everything she does. She is driven to grow as both an educator and an individual, all for their sake. She places pressure on herself to demonstrate her genuine care—striving to be both compassionate and supportive while maintaining a high classroom standard.

Beyond the classroom, McDowell steps into another role: the dedicated sports mom. Coming from a family steeped in athletics, she’s been both a ‘hockey mom’ and a ‘baseball mom’ over the years. With two sons playing baseball at the professional level, McDowell is their biggest fan, along with her daughter, as she cheers them on from the sidelines.

As for her fun fact, McDowell’s fact is truly one to remember. As a child, she lived in Berlin, Germany—before the Berlin Wall fell during the end of the Cold War in 1989. Even more striking, she trained as a young swimmer in the very pool Adolf Hitler had constructed for his Olympic team.