Eastipedia: Mallory Gaunce

Mallory Gaunce isn’t just new to East; she’s new to teaching.

Gaunce, who teaches English 9 and 11, spent the past few years working at MMGY Global, an advertising company that specializes in the travel industry.

She was an Assistant Account Executive and worked mainly with the client on communicating needs to the design and media teams at the agency. However, she didn’t see herself working in the ad industry for the next ten years.

She wasn’t passionate about advertising, and she was looking for a job that would make her feel happy at the end of the day. So in 2010, she decided to quit her job and pursue teaching.

Gaunce got her masters in Education at UMKC last year. She then worked as a student teacher at Wyandotte High School.

“Wyandotte was a beautiful school,” Gaunce said. “However, the backgrounds, and just the way the students had grown up, was very different.”

When Gaunce was in high school at Shawnee Mission West, Dr. Krawitz was her principal.

Last year, she got in contact with him to ask his advice about the education field. She also was curious about how he liked working in the Shawnee Mission School District.

He sat with her to tell her all about the district and he told her great things about East. So when the openings were posted, she decided to go for it. And she couldn’t be happier.

Gaunce is also the Junior Varsity cheer coach. She cheered in high school, but this is her first time coaching. Over the summer, her team took home Top Cheer in the JV Category at NCA Cheer Camp.

“Mallory is so encouraging of the squad,” JV cheerleader Sophie Tulp said. “She is strict, but fun loving and is a great addition for JV. She’s definitely widened our repertoire of skills and promoted an attitude of positivity throughout the squad.”

Gaunce says she is happy at East and glad she chose to become a teacher.

“I was a little nervous,” Gaunce said, “But coming from the year that I had last year, it hasn’t felt like work this year, and that’s what’s really great so far. I really enjoy it.”