Mr. Chase Winniford grew up in Santa Cruz, California. Earthquakes later brought him to Arizona, where he attended high school and junior college in Prescott. After graduating, he spent several years moving between Arizona and California before taking a chance on teaching overseas, where he spent eight years teaching kindergarten through university. He returned to the United States for his best friend’s wedding in Mexico City, and the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly kept him stateside. Pandemic assistance helped him earn a Master of Education degree, which he jokingly says made it all even. It was also during this time that he discovered his passion for working with students with special needs.
Mr. Chase joins New Way as the Junior School English teacher. His background in middle school English and his love of literature make him especially excited to bring thematic learning to our school. He is passionate about using contemporary literature to immerse students in new worlds while helping them develop a deeper understanding of language and its mechanics.
Mr. Chase enjoys working with young people and building meaningful, lasting connections. Through his travels to many different countries, he has learned that each individual possesses unique and remarkable qualities. In his free time, he enjoys spending time in nature, reading, and maintaining saltwater aquariums. He cultivates more than two dozen species of macroalgae (seaweed) and breeds two types of nudibranchs.
