Coppell High School AP World History teacher Rocky Fraid has woven a connecting thread to Coppell throughout his life.
It is this connection that guided him to the Coppell ISD annual job fair in 2022, despite being born and raised in Farmers Branch.
From his earliest years, Fraid’s family would embark on a weekly 15-minute journey to St. Ann Catholic Parish. Within this space, Fraid not only forged long-lasting friendships but also received incredible life guidance through mentorships.
Inspired by the mentorship during his high school years, he decided to pursue teaching as a profession and became high school ministry core leader as a hobby, dedicated to imparting the same experiences that shaped his own youth onto a new generation.
Upon graduating a year early from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in political science in 2020, Fraid returned to his hometown as he pondered the different possibilities that the job market offers.
“I’m sitting there thinking and I just began realizing the really cool opportunities that come with teaching,” Fraid said. “My kind of passion that comes with teaching is building relationships with the students. Also being there, present for whatever they need as they pursue what they want. I was there at one point, too.”
Fraid began to substitute teaching at Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD as he pursued his teacher certification.
Six months later, he became a Texas history teacher at Barbara Bush Middle School.
However, Fraid wanted to connect with a more mature cohort of students, particularly those involved in his high school ministry. So in 2022, he decided to seek the CISD annual job fair, yearning for an opportunity to teach at CHS.
Unfortunately, there were no positions available at CHS, but he was able to teach at Coppell Middle School East. However, he received a call from CHS Principal Laura Springer with an opening position at the campus a year later. He promptly joined the AP World History team afterwards.
Inside Fraid’s classroom, the glow from various lamps across the room creates a warm ambiance. The warmth of the classroom is reflected in Fraid’s kindness as he maneuvers around each table group, ensuring each student is able to fully grasp their class material.
“It’s a really relaxing class to be in, despite it being an AP class,” sophomore Maya Ahn said. “The lights are dimmed and the class is quiet which helps me be in a mindset to get everything done. He also does one-on-one a lot.”
Outside of the classroom, Fraid can be seen supporting his students’ passion by attending their events such as band concerts, theater performances, sport games or acting as the sponsor of the Coppell Speaker Association and Coppell Catholic Club.
“I think one of the best things Mr. Fraid does for the club is his disposition,” senior Coppell Speaker Association co-president Akshath Annadi said. “He’s open, easygoing, and very easy to talk to. He has the sort of personality that just livens the room and puts everyone at ease. In a club where our goal is to get over the nervousness of speaking in front of an audience, having a teacher who’s very calm and supportive definitely helps out a lot.”
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