Technology plays a big role in learning in today’s progressing world. Thankfully, St. Dominic has a brand new technology coach and applications of technology teacher, Mr. Doug Small, who just so happens to be more than what meets the eye.

Mr. Small is in no way new to coaching basketball and working with technology. He grew up with a father who always had a passion for technology, and this allowed for him to get some exposure at a very young age. Even while he was still in middle school, his dad began to introduce him to building computers and give him a head start in working with new tech.

As Mr. Small grew up, all of his tech skills transferred over into the workplace, and he had the opportunity to work at places like Ladue High School and Wentzville. At these schools, Mr. Small worked to integrate technology into the curriculum and help to troubleshoot any problems the school might have.

Here he also put his Sphero teaching skills to work. Spheros are robots that are used to teach kids coding skills, and when it comes to using them, nobody does it better than Mr. Small! In fact, he’s one of two teachers in Missouri and one of one hundred teachers in the entire world who is both a certified Sphero Hero and Sphero Lead Teacher.

Mr. Small’s main jobs here at school include helping teachers with operating the new Zoom HUB equipment, working with MySchoolApp, ordering equipment and teaching his two applications of technology classes. However, when you work as hard as Mr. Small it’s important to kick back and relax sometimes.

One thing that Mr. Small loves is leisure sports. Whether he is suiting up for a tee time on the golf course, playing yard games with friends and family or hopping into a game of pickup basketball, you can always find him staying active. Mr. Small would consider basketball to be his absolute favorite sport, which he shows by being an active coaching member of the St. Dominic basketball program.

“I grew up always loving sports, and basketball is a real passion of mine. I still play in open gyms with the basketball team here at St. Dominic, as well as playing basketball around St. Louis,” Mr. Small said.

What many people may not know is that Mr. Small also loves Marvel comic books and merchandise. Over the years he has collected over 150 comic books, and over 800 Marvel collectibles in total! This is no new hobby for him, since he has been fascinated by comics and superheroes ever since he was a boy.

“I got into comics and Marvel, because as a young kid who got bullied in elementary school, superheroes who were also bullied but grew to do great things inspired me. The fantastic stories and abilities of the characters is another aspect that I loved,” Mr. Small said.

Mr. Small’s transition to St. Dominic has been remarkably smooth, and we couldn’t be happier to have him here. For him, the St. Dominic community has been the best part about working here, and he often compares it to the small community that he grew up in.

“The community here has 100% made the transition to a new school easier. I’m from a small farm town of 1000 people, and a highschool of only 300 kids. St. Dominic is like home to me. The community is close knit and really involved and accepting. I was raised not just by my parents, but by the whole community, and that’s what I love about Dominic. It feels like home,” Mr. Small said.

Mr. Small fits in perfectly here, and he is always ready to help out with any technological issues that teachers and students might have. He’s a great helper for any student to reach out to, and he is an even better person to get to know a bit more!