When teacher Richard Dygos walks the halls of Macopin Middle School he must get a sense of deja vu. He’s walked these halls before as a student in 1983. Dygos, 41, grew up in town and graduated from West Milford High School in 1987. He comes from a close-knit family, some whose faces are familiar around town. Dygos is the youngest son of Christel Dygos, a long-standing member of the West Milford First Aid Squad. He has two sisters, Cathy and Christine, and his brother Ron and nephew Michael are members of the West Milford Volunteer Fire Department. His late father served on the board of education and coached numerous teams in town. Volunteering appears to be a family trait. With a family of his own now, Dygos is a happy man. Married to Daniela for 13 years, the couple has two daughters, Francesca and Dominique. “I am blessed. Besides having two healthy, respectful daughters and a beautiful, smart and generous wife, Macopin is a family, too,” he said. Dygos studied education and accounting at Lockhaven and Montclair State Universities. He also attended the Chubb Institute for networking, adding computer system diagnostics to his resume. He took a teaching assignment in Maplewood but then tried the corporate world, working for Cellular One. By 1996 he knew that the classroom was the place for him and he took a position at Macopin. Dygos credits a few caring teachers he had along the way as his inspiration to become an educator. So what kind of student was he at Macopin and beyond? Those hoping to learn he was a cut-up can stop reading now. At Macopin he played baseball, soccer and basketball and throughout high school and college he played lacrosse. He was a member of the Junior National Honor Society in middle school and graduated college cum laude. Dygos genuinely cares for his students. The course he developed and teaches, Financial Literacy, is meant to set the students on a path of understanding the life skills they’ll need in the future. He enjoys the fact that the class may sometimes stray off topic in their desire to learn more about what’s happening in today’s world. His students start watching the news and keep tabs on the stock market. He also teaches the decision making process. “You have to make choices. You can’t have everything you want,” he said. Somewhere down the road when his students buy their first car, apply for a mortgage or invest in the stock market they’ll have Mr. Dygos to thank for their basic understanding of the process. He teaches about 100 students a day and strives to meet the multiple demands educators face today. He holds the staff at Macopin in the highest esteem. He invests his time in after school programs, coaching and volunteer projects - and he values all of it. Developing a relationship with each student and hoping to have a positive influence on them is his goal. Running into a former student who just purchased his first condo is the icing on the cake. Dygos has also brought another lesson to the classroom. Fulfilling his own desire to show appreciation to the military he runs “Operation Thank You” at the school. The kids learn of the sacrifices made by the military and the care packages they send out are happily received. “I’ve gotten back letters, postcards, CD’s and a West Milford baseball shirt signed by a flight squadron,” he said. He also heads up the “Angel Project,” collecting holiday gifts for local families in need. What message would he send to his students? “Effort, focus and a positive attitude will open the doors to success today, tomorrow and in the future,” he said. His spare time is minimal and what time he has is spent with his family, training at a gym and playing his guitar. His preference is Van Halen and 1980’s music. But will he dance to it? “It’s okay to cut loose now and then, so I’ll try, and then look foolish,” he said with a laugh. Cooking is not his specialty but he brags about making fantastic eggs. Since a family cannot live on eggs alone it’s fortunate that his wife is a wonderful cook.
Black Bean Salad
Recipe by Guy Fieri/FoodNetwork.com
2 cans black beans, drained, about 30 ounces
1-15 oz. can corn, drained
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced pineapple
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
4 tbsp. sherry vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lime
3 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Pinch of ground cumin
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for one hour
Makes 6-8 servings