Kaneland math teacher Daniel Ponczek is a teacher loved by his students. Ponz, as he is referred to by anyone who knows him, has been teaching at Kaneland for 10 years, with his fourth year being his favorite.
“It was a great group of students,” Ponz said. I felt like they kept with their work and reached out when needed.” “It was a fun year. It was the last normal year before COVID, and I also got to teach a class I liked.”
Ponz walks into class every day looking to make great memories. He loves to see his students gain more confidence and independence in his classes. However, his favorite moments are “building lifelong relationships where previous students keep in touch. It really brings me fuel every day.”
Students know once you walk into his classroom, they’ll love him. In fact, all the posters students see in his classroom were made by former students.
“They asked for my favorite quotes and they would replace the character’s face with mine and keep the quote,” Ponz said. “My personal favorite is the poster that comes from the show Happy Days. The poster shows Fonzie with my face and says his famous saying: ‘OK!’”
Ponz takes his job very seriously. However, being a married man, he also has his wife and his future child to take care of. Ponz has been married for four years. He met his wife at Northern Illinois University. They love to travel together and both love Harry Potter. In fact, they are going to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for their anniversary. Along with his wife and future child (who they expect in February), he has a dog named Boris.
“Boris is a black Lab. We got him at the shelter two years ago, and he is scared of everything. However, we couldn’t picture life without him,” Ponz said.
Ponz was also the head girls bowling coach. He coached the team for two years, but he had stopped due to his future child. His all-time favorite bowling memory is when one of the girls he coached went to State.
“What was super cool is she just started bowling the year prior,” Ponz said. “She put in so much work to get better, and she had a phenomenal day at Sectionals to get to State,” Ponz said. “It shows all the commitment and dedication it took for the bowler, and it showed how I love the game.”
Bowling isn’t the only sport Ponz loves. In fact, he is also a big baseball fan, and he loves the Cubs and fantasy baseball.
Ponz is only 34. However, he said if he ever had an opportunity to turn back time, it would be when he was a kid. He would want to tell himself a lot.
“I would tell my younger self, ‘Savor your time with family. I would tell him not to fret, and that falling in love will happen, and it is a phenomenal feeling when it does. Lastly, I would tell myself to not fear difficult tasks, and through preservation, I am able to achieve absolutely outstanding accomplishments that I never even dreamed of.’”
In Ponz’s time at Kaneland, he has made many friends at the school. One of those friends is MTSS interventionist Eric Moore. They have known each other for nine years. Ponz’s first year teaching was Moore’s third, and they became friends during the two years they taught together. After Moore left for Huntley High School a few years later, he and Ponz stayed in touch, typically connecting 3-4 times a year. Some of the best stories they’ve had are about sushi and math.
“I remember at his wedding he sat down at the math teacher table and talked about factor strategies.” Moore said. “My wife was in disbelief that she was at a wedding talking about factoring.”
