On May 2, South Kent School welcomed guest lecturer Dr. Paweł Grzegrzółka, Assistant Teaching Professor and Calculus Coordinator at Syracuse University, for a special classroom session with students in the Calculus II course. Grzegrzółka led an in-depth, college-level exploration of power series expansions—a key topic in the study of advanced mathematics and a cornerstone of the current course sequence.
The visit was a continuation of an academic partnership that began in the fall, when Grzegrzółka joined South Kent faculty member and Syracuse University adjunct professor Joseph Barowski for a class observation and a long discussion about pedagogical strategies in calculus instruction. Inspired by that visit, Barowski invited Grzegrzółka back to the Hillside to deliver a lecture during the second trimester of the course.
The guest lecture focused on power series expansions of exponential and trigonometric functions such as e^x, sin(x), and cos(x)—an elegant application of recent classroom work on convergent and divergent series. The topic served not only as a deep reinforcement of learned concepts, but also as a bridge to the class’s next major topic: Taylor Series, widely regarded as the climax of a rigorous Calculus II curriculum.
“It was a privilege to have Dr. Grzegrzółka join us in the classroom,” said Barowski. “Our students got a firsthand look at how university-level mathematics is taught, and how the concepts we cover here are preparing them for what’s next.”
The class’s small size offered a unique advantage. “I loved that it was a more intimate learning experience for the class, with only five students,” one student shared. “We had the chance to ask questions directly and go deeper into the material.”
Grzegrzółka’s visit reflects South Kent School’s continued commitment to personalized, advanced academics—particularly in STEM fields where students can benefit from direct exposure to collegiate faculty and content.
“We’re not just trying to cover material,” added Barowski. “We’re building a foundation for college success, and experiences like this show our students what’s possible.”