Among the 1,200 faculty and staff who have made careers at Penfield Central School District are a select few who are also proud alumni. Across the District, Penfield graduates are teaching in classrooms, delivering student services, shaping the school environment, and more.

This fall, Joseph Vogt joined the ranks of alumni who have returned to the District as employees. A 2021 graduate of PCSD, he is a first-year teacher at the Bay Trail Middle School. 

“Penfield schools shaped who I am as a person, and I have long wanted to be a part of that journey for future generations of students,” Vogt said.

After graduating from SUNY Geneseo in May 2025 with a degree in adolescent education and social studies, he is excited to teach eighth graders at BT. Vogt credits several of his Penfield teachers for inspiring him to pursue a career in education, including Liz Smith, Paul Gabbey, and Tim Graves in the High School Social Studies Department. 

“They made learning fun and interesting, which is not always easy in history,” he explained.

Ready to follow in their footsteps, Vogt has worked to ensure his lesson plans are equally engaging. 

“My favorite lesson so far is an activity where we modeled the start of World War I by acting it out as if it were in the lunchroom,” he said. “Students love the story of how alliances caused countries to join the war, and it is a very digestible format for them.” 

With a passion for history, education, and Penfield, it’s no surprise that his return has been a welcome homecoming.

“It has been wonderful. Everyone has been very welcoming, and it is neat to see former teachers,” he said. “Bay Trail remains very similar, and it is fun to unlock old memories when I go into an area or a room for the first time since I was a middle schooler!”

Penfield graduate Jaime Smith ’01 joined the District Office team in December, serving as the new Director of Digital Media. As a chief storyteller for the District, he’s tasked with creating videos, photos, and stories to share across Penfield’s social media platforms and website. 

“I feel that my entire career started in Penfield High School. I really enjoyed business classes, and was a part of what is now the PHS TV Studio, so I was able to apply what I was learning and hone my skills as a creator.”

Having told the stories of other educational institutions and a legacy record label, he is excited to work with District stakeholders to shine the light on all that Penfield offers students.

“I cannot wait to find, and tell, the great stories of our students and educators,” he said.