When the 2025-2026 school year began a few weeks ago, science teacher Mrs. Mary Balamucki was all ready for her new Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science course. 

Over the summer, Balamucki was enrolled in an in-person, four-day, 30-hour class put on by the College Board, through Oakland University, to prepare for the new course. She said, “It was intense! And we had homework each night!” 

In addition to the AP course work for the Environmental Science course, Balamucki also served as a reader of the May 2025 AP Biology exams; she has taught the AP Biology course at DLS for the last few years. 

The AP exam reading required Balamucki to work from home, reading exams online for five to six hours a day. She graded over 1,600 questions, and received a five-star rating from the table leader. 

“I learned how important it is for students to read intentionally on the Free Response Questions (FRQ), which will change how I approach teaching students,” she said. 

Balamucki learned about the difference between the general questions and the specific questions and how she will be able to help students score better.

“It sounds small, but those points all add up,” she said. 

Balamucki is also teaching another new course, Principles of Biomedical Science. She prepared for that course through “Project Lead the Way” during the spring. 

That ten-week online curriculum met for two hours, twice a week in the evenings (40 hours total), and teachers had a “lot of homework.” 

Balamucki also teaches Honors Anatomy and Physiology. 

Mr. Scott Husken, DLS STEM Coordinator, said, “Mary is vital to propelling our STEM Center into the 21st century. Biomedical Science is a cornerstone of the STEM initiatives that De La Salle is investing in. The field of Biomedical Science is expected to grow at a much faster pace than average over the next 30 years. Our students recognize the potential success that can be achieved by pursuing a career in these fields, and Mary is going to help the boys achieve their goals.”

Balamucki joined the DLS Faculty in 2021 and introduced the HOSA program to students in 2023. During the 2024-2025 school year, DLS qualified seven students for the state HOSA meet in Traverse City in April 2025. 

Principal Chris Dean said, “In addition to her classroom duties, Mrs. Balamucki is one of the most dedicated professionals to the student experience that we have at De La Salle. She leads our HOSA (Medical) Club, organizes our school-wide blood drives, and directs several service projects. It is activities such as these that elevate our students and create awareness. In addition, she is one of the more effective teachers in the building as evidenced by her AP scores and rising demand from students to take her classes.”

The fall Red Cross blood drive, put on by HOSA students, is scheduled for November 14. 

Mrs. Annmarie Michol, Vice Principal for Academics, says, “Mrs. Balamucki is a dedicated leader in the STEM program, and she continually seeks growth by taking classes to master the new curriculum. Her commitment has helped AP scores steadily improve, while her leadership extends beyond the classroom through organizing blood drives and running HOSA. Always striving to make a difference, she embodies the true spirit of a Lasallian teacher: she is deeply involved, service-oriented, and dedicated to giving back. It is truly an honor to work alongside her and witness the impact she makes every day.”