Posted by By Co-Editor in Chief, Jiho Son
If you’ve ever taken a class taught by Mr. Haas or Ms. Stewart, chances are you have seen one of their infamous youtube videos (Joe Haas – YouTube, Kathryn Stewart – YouTube). With a combined view count of over 2.5 million and close to 700 videos posted since 2009, the math department’s iconic duo has undoubtedly been prolific. Unfortunately, at the end of the 2025 school year, New Paltz High School will lose an irreplaceable figure, Mr. Haas.
When Mr. Haas decided to retire this past October, a candidate to fill his position had to be found. It became clear an appropriate candidate for teaching computer science was not going to be found, so Mr. Haas made it clear that, despite being officially retired, he would be willing to continue to teach computer science for the rest of the year. At first, his extra Intro to Calculus classes were going to be delegated to two other teachers, but Mr. Haas volunteered to teach those classes as well. In the words of Ms. Stewart, “that speaks to his generous spirit” and his dedication to his students.
Throughout his time at New Paltz High School, which began in 2001, Mr. Haas has been constantly innovating and improving the way he teaches his classes. The many youtube videos he has produced is a result of the idea of the “flipped classroom”, where students watch a lecture on new material outside of class and solve problems in class. Together he and Ms. Stewart developed the practice of giving daily checks that has become a mainstay in the math department. During the COVID pandemic, he created a wide variety of interactive Desmos lessons to try to engage students through remote learning. The success of this experiment is evident in the fact that Mr. Haas continues to use these lessons to this day.
With a combined view count of over 2.5 million and close to 700 videos posted since 2009, the math department’s iconic duo has undoubtedly been prolific.
When asked to reflect on his time with Mr. Haas in computer science, senior Alexander Steengracht van Moyland responded, “I think he’s great, and I like the way he teaches. He lets you lead your own course and move at your own pace in the class, and I think that’s really effective for the classes he teaches.”
Even after his retirement, Ms. Stewart says Mr. Haas’ legacy in the math department will “live on in the materials that we’ve all stolen from him.”
Over the course of his career, Mr. Haas has been a great teacher, as well as a generous and fun colleague. But he still looks forward to retirement at the end of this year. Mr. Haas hopes to do “what normal people do when they retire,” spending time with friends, hiking outdoors, volunteering, and helping to care for his elderly mother.
The thing Mr. Haas will miss the most about teaching is the interaction with his students. “I have really great students and I really appreciate that,” Haas says. After all that Mr. Haas has given to New Paltz High School, it is undeniable that he will be missed in return.
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