By Bo Schneider
McNicholas High School welcomed several new teachers for the 2024-2025 school year and four of those teachers are in the English and Science Departments: Luke Alcock, Dan Freeman, Devin Kovar, and Bella McIntyre.
Mr. Luke Alcock teaches Biology and Chemistry. Alcock graduated in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in Chemistry from Xavier University. Alcock worked in a lab for over a year and did not like it. “It is not what I wanted to do in 20 years. It’s exciting and fun for the first two months then you realize you are always going to be doing the exact same thing. It’s very repetitive,” Alcock said.
Alcock has a lot of family in teaching that were telling him to become a teacher after college. So, after quitting the lab he went to teach at Alcon New Tech, which was his first teaching job. When he left Alcon, he came to McNicholas High School and loved it. “All the faculty they’ve been great, and it’s been great to have support from them and Principal Noll. Everyone has been super helpful,” Alcock said.
He added that he enjoys fishing, pickleball, and playing the guitar.
Joining Alcock in the Science Department is Mr. Devin Kovar, who teaches Environmental Science for freshmen, and Anatomy and Physiology for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in biology and French then went to Western Governors University for a master’s degree in education. Kovar taught English in France for grades 1-5 for a year then came back to the U.S. and taught French at Ursuline Academy as a long-term substitute.
After six weeks at McNick, Kovar said, “I really love it. It’s been a really great experience so far. It has been welcoming, and the students are great too.”
Kovar enjoys music and plays percussion and the piano in community bands.
Two new teachers joined the English Department as well. Ms. Bella McIntyre teaches freshman and sophomore CPI English. McIntyre majored in secondary education for grades 7-12 and graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Mount St. Joseph. She completed her student teaching last spring at LaSalle High School. McNicholas is McIntyre’s first teaching job, and she said it started difficult, but the faculty has helped her so far.
“Being a first-year teacher can be difficult because it is your first real job. You are fresh out of college, and they support me in a variety of different ways. I truly cannot thank them enough for that,” McIntyre said.
McIntyre said she has always wanted to teach high school and has grown up loving reading. She enjoys working out and playing/watching sports.
Mr. Dan Freeman teaches freshman CP1 English and the new English elective, Speech and Debate. He graduated with an undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati and is finishing his master’s degree at Xavier University. He double majored in English specializing in literary and cultural studies and also in English and creative writing. Freeman also earned a minor in business management. He taught at the University of Cincinnati in 2022-2023, and McNicholas is Freeman’s first high school teaching job.
“I think the community here is awesome, the faculty is awesome, and the students are what make it great, so I am enjoying getting to know the community and this side of town. It’s been awesome.
Freeman was raised on the west side of Cincinnati and went to St. Xavier High School, and said he enjoys playing in a softball league with his friends.
The McNicholas Milestone 