Whether you have cheered at a rally, studied world history, or helped plan a school dance, chances are you’ve felt the impact of David Plescia on campus. Since 1998, the longtime social studies teacher and leadership advisor has shaped school spirit, curriculum, and community.
Over Plescia’s career, he’s taught various social studies classes, and now, after a decade, he has returned to teaching Advanced Placement (AP) World History. When noticing a growth in popularity in AP classes, Plescia took the opportunity to rejoin a subject he knows very well.
Beyond his love of history, he basks in the glow of teaching government and economics.
“Social studies is super cool. It’s always been my core subject. I like those fields of study. I’m interested in them, and I enjoy teaching them,” Plescia said.
Plescia’s schedule and adaptability are very prevalent in his day-to-day life. Organizing three different classes can be challenging
“[Teaching multiple subjects and grade levels] is super crazy, you have some classes, like leadership, that are time-intensive. Planning and executing events takes a lot of prep time and work, let alone planning for a regular class or grading. It’s definitely a juggling act,” Plescia said.
Though it demands extra effort, leadership is his favorite. According to Plescia, it’s watching students’ ideas come to life and witnessing their success that makes the work worth it. However, the process of planning school-wide events isn’t always an easy task.
“[In leadership, we’re] trying to plan events for the entire school and pull things off successfully. It’s hard to get everyone on board and to agree on things, but that’s part of the fun and enjoyment of it,” Plescia said.
Students in Plescia’s AP World class appreciate his support and understanding. A sophomore in the class, Reagan Bloch, is one of many who find Mr. Plescia to be an amazing teacher.
“[Plescia is] very supportive. I like his teaching and overall the setup of his class, and he is very understanding of any late work or bad grades.” Bloch said.
This campus hasn’t just been a teaching environment for Plescia, but a social one. Redwood is where Plescia met his wife, Kristin. Kristin arrived as a student teacher—a student in an education program which allows them to get teaching experience—and their classrooms were side by side.
“I married the lady next door, literally,” Plescia said.
Working at the same school has brought balance in their relationship. Each has their own classroom and responsibilities, but having someone who understands the demands of teaching makes a difference.
“It’s always my world with my class, my curriculum and my students, and she does her own thing,” Plescia said.
Plescia attended Cherilinda High School before earning his teaching credential at Dominican University and didn’t originally expect to stay at Redwood as long as he has.
Plescia was doing his student teaching here, which kick-started his career at Redwood.
“It just worked out that there was a job opening [at Redwood]. I had interviewed in some other places and was possibly thinking about moving, but when I got the offer here, I [thought], ‘Let’s just stay,’” Plesica said.
More than 25 years later, he’s still here.
“I [may have] taught almost in every single social studies room that we have,” Plescia said.
With a career spanning decades, Plescia has become a fixture, shaping students’ experiences in leadership and social studies alike. Even after all these years, he still finds joy in it.
“It’s been a good first year [teaching AP World] …and it’s still going,” Plescia said.
