Hello Hazel Wolf families!
I am excited to be starting my 8th year at Hazel Wolf. During my time here I've seen my oldest daughter graduate from HW and move on to Nathan Hale, and my youngest daughter is a current 7th grader. We also welcomed a baby boy in December, and I am already looking forward to the day he becomes a Hazel Wolf pup!
Middle School Math is my passion-not a sentence you probably read every day! I spend most waking hours during the school year thinking hard about how to make mathematics interesting, accessible, thought provoking, and fun. It can be a challenge, but I, like all Hazel Wolf teachers, attack it with energy, enthusiasm, and endless drive to take the work to the next level, for our students, your children, and the community at large.
Welcome to the new school year, I look forward to meeting you and your child! Feel free to contact me through school email: glbisagna@seattleschools.org.
I grew up listening to the sound of my mother teaching piano in my living room. Every day after school, I knew I had to come in the back door quietly, sneak around the corner, and dash up the stairs to my room. I heard her patience and her persistence. I heard her firmly correct and redirect. Most importantly, I heard the joy she had at every little success. Ultimately, I think that joy is why I became a teacher.
My home was in Omaha, NE. In terms of school I learned math from nuns, how to question from Jesuits, and everything else from the giant public school downtown. I went on to study Television Engineering at the University of Nebraska at Omaha for a few semesters. Leaving that behind, I played music and travelled until school felt right. In 1992, I landed at the University of Southern California. I graduated with a major in Comparative Literature and Art History.
After working in theatre (sound design, acting, and administration) and photography, I met my wife in a book club here in Seattle. Kristin was (and is) a teacher. The stories she brought home were far more interesting than my work stories. Her joy reminded me of my mother’s, and it brought me full circle into teaching. I got my Masters degree from the University of Washington in 2006 and started teaching 4th and 5th grade at Coe Elementary. During all this, my family has grown to include two phenomenal daughters, Ruth and Iris.
My name is Charles Wenzel and I am thrilled to be a fourth-grade teacher again this year!
I am originally from Portland, but have lived in Washington since attending college at Gonzaga University. Outside of school, I love to spend time outdoors enjoying the amazing waterways, mountains, and forests that we are so lucky to have here in the Pacific Northwest.
In my free time, I enjoy activities such as fishing, hiking, snowboarding, kiteboarding, and taking my golden retriever, Oakley, to the beach. I also love to cheer on my favorite sports teams. Go Seahawks and Gonzaga Bulldogs!
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -Nelson Mandela
