Welcome to Behind the Chalkboard, which gives readers an inside look at the teachers in the community and why they do what they do, as well as a glimpse of their lives outside of the classroom.
Chris Bires
Chemistry and physics teacher at Boulder City High School
Teaching for 17 years; eight at BCHS
Why did you become a teacher?
I just like learning things and this is a good environment for that. I really enjoy learning new things, doing new things and passing that onto someone else seems like the right thing to do.
What is your favorite part of teaching?
The aha moment and being a science teacher, I have a lot of fun toys. It’s a good environment for everyone.
If you were not a teacher, what would you be doing?
Probably steering a nuclear submarine. I was a nuclear propulsion candidate after college. I applied for the Federal Bureau of Investigation before going to grad school.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working?
Video games and building things. I play a lot of video games. In the summer, I build and do home-improvement projects. I’ve built cornhole sets and a customized rack for science equipment. This summer, I’m possibly building a skee ball set, but I also have to prepare for Advanced Placement physics.