Photo by Jade Lenkersdorf

Communications teacher Christine Tieche is once again back teaching film and TV production courses. “Coming back to Dreyfoos always seemed like a no brainer,” Ms. Tieche said. “This place is my home.”

Over the summer, Dreyfoos saw many beloved teachers, artists in residence, and staff members move on to teach at different schools and even to different occupations. It is rare that we have the pleasure to see a teacher come back, so students were ecstatic to welcome film teacher Christine Tieche back into the communications department.

Ms. Tieche originally left Dreyfoos  in 2013, but decided over the summer that she wanted to return to her passion for teaching at Dreyfoos. She is now once again teaching film and T.V. production in Building 1.

“Before I came back [to Dreyfoos] I was living in Oahu in Hawaii,” Ms. Tieche said. “It was great. I was kind of a beach bum; but coming back to Dreyfoos always seemed like a no brainer. this place is my home, and I love teaching.”

Ms. Tieche is also a Dreyfoos alumna, so she has noticed a difference in how both the school and the communications department has changed since her own high school graduation in 2002.

“I’ve noticed that throughout the years students have become more invested in their academic classes,” Ms. Tieche said. “Which is fantastic, because we are becoming more established academically.  I remember when I went here, students, especially seniors, were fighting for five art classes on their schedules, not five AP classes.”

Although students have become invested in their academics in order to get into a good college, most are still devoted in their art areas. Communications junior Mariana Pesquera is taking film for the first time in her high school career this year, and is very fond of Ms. Tieche’s teaching style.

“Right now she is teaching us to see the relations between films and how movies inspire directors to make their follow up movies,” Pesquera said. “We have also started studying premises and treatments. [Ms. Tieche] is great, she has really good explanations for everything, she doesn’t just read off of a power point, she is actually really helpful.”

Ms. Tieche also has many plans for improving the film department this year. She is already planning events and showings throughout the year to showcase her student’s work. Though the majority of student films are showcased in the annual student film festival or the communications showcase, Ms. Tieche wants there to be more opportunity for these students to exhibit their films at the school.

“I really would like to have a classic movie night, invite parents and students and showcase some short student [films] before playing a good family movie,” Ms. Tieche said. “Later in the year, at the film showcase, I’m excited to show off students work also. All of these students are extremely talented and work hard to make what they do.”