In this edition of Get to Know a Teacher, we spoke with Anthony Mucciaro, one of our Physical Education and Health teachers and the athletic director at University High School. We discussed a range of topics from his experience with us at UHSSE so far, his previous teaching experiences, his family, his return to Connecticut, and his love for old-school hip-hop.

Despite only being with us for three years, Mr. Mucciaro has become a familiar face around the building, making small talk with students and staff alike. Mr. Mucciaro started in the 2020-2021 school year when the pandemic was in full swing, making the ‘physical’ part of physical education particularly difficult. “The following year was the first real year where it felt like school again,” citing that that pandemic “was an interesting time to be alive. Even more interesting teaching.” Mucciaro has had teaching experience outside of our school, however. He previously worked at John Stark Regional High School in Weare, New Hampshire. Funny enough, Get to Know a Teacher alumni, Carson Dunn, was a senior when Mr. Mucciaro started teaching. He then worked at Delaware Academy in Delhi, New York before moving back to Connecticut where his parents and sisters are, wanting to see his family, friends, and his niece and nephew more often, “as they say, home is where the heart is.”

He also works at a golf course during the summer and makes them look pretty “for people like Mr. Tomany to go hack up.” Mr. Mucciaro went to school for his bachelor’s degree in physical education and got his dual master’s in sports management and athletic administration, though he needs to go back to school to get his 092 Certification to help in the new role he started as UHSSE’s Athletics Director.

As a physical education teacher and Athletics Director, Mr. Mucciaro of course loves sports, having a huge love for golf, spending a lot of time taking a few swings at the course previously mentioned. “Other than that I love to bake and go on long walks.”

Another one of Mr. Mucciaro’s passions that I’ve personally talked to him about is his love for old-school hip-hop. He has a personal appreciation for anything produced by DJ Premier, which he considers “probably one of the best producers in [his] eyes.” While he does get the appeal to the newer sort of sound, he finds the older material hits closer to his feel. He went on to name his top three stating that, “other than your Biggie, 2Pac, and Big L. My picks would be Gang Starr, Naughty By Nature, and A Tribe Called Quest. I’d say those are some of the top groups… they’re always just a good listen.”

Well whether it’s during one of his classes or in the halls, Mr. Mucciaro is a great presence who always brings a fun and relaxed energy to any conversation you’re in. Whether it’s talking about sports or music, Mucciaro is always friendly and sociable.