Newspaper Page Text
July 27, 2022
sReporter
Page 3B
Hubbard Elementary School
Jasmine Coleman
will be a teacher. She has
been a certified teacher for
three and was a parapro-
fessional for six years. She
lives in Monroe County
and graduated from Mary
Persons. Something special
she brings to her classroom
is the ability to build a posi
tive relationship with stu
dents and parents. Outside
of work, her family is im
portant to her. She says she
is eager to serve students,
parents and the community
in Monroe County.
Candace Dantzler
will work in ACCESS
K-5. She has worked in
Bibb County and Aurora,
Colorado and taught in 3rd
grade, kindergarten and
support for grades 1-8. She
wants to teach in Monroe
County because the schools
see each student as an
individual and care for the
whole child. Something
special she brings to the
classroom is creativity to
find ways to help students
learn in nontraditional
ways. Things important
to her outside of work are
spending time with her
family, gardening and hik
ing/backpacking. Some
thing she wants to share
with the community is that
she believes parents are the
experts of their children
and she relies heavily on
information from parents
to help students become
successful. “Success looks
different for each child!”
she said. “I want to get to
know each of my students,
focusing on the relation
ship with them before the
learning can truly take
place.”
Savannah Edge
with teach 1st grade. She
was a student teacher in
Bibb County for a year and
then took advantage of a
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Pictured, left to right, are, Back row-Synthia Slaughter, Candace Dantzler, Instructional coach Ronna DeMichiel, Principal
Dr. MeQuanta McCord, Brian Harrell, Assistant Principal Thomas Yawn, Jacob Haygood; Middle row-Elizabeth Fogarty,
Reese Holton, Emily Swift, Amanda Fossett, Assistant Principal Charita Brown; Front row-Sandra Elkins, Ashley Garner,
Savannah Edge, Jasmine Coleman
program that let her be
employed as a paraprofes-
sional in Monroe County
at the same time as being a
student teacher her senior
year of college. She worked
at Hubbard Elementary as
a first grade paraprofes-
sional and says she had
wonderful teachers to work
with and learn from. She
chose Monroe County
Schools because from the
first day it felt like family.
She developed relationships
with her grade level team
and with others. Some
thing special she brings to
her classroom is a lot of
enthusiasm and the desire
to make her students feel
safe and comfortable. Her
classroom theme is, “It feels
like a home!” Outside of
teaching, she loves spend
ing time with her family.
She recently married and
has a 6-month old puppy.
“I am excited to continue
to serve this community!”
is her message to the com
munity. “It is an honor to
be trusted with the sweet
babies in my classroom!”
Sandra Elkins will
be a 1st grade parapro-
fessional. She worked in
Jefferson County Schools
for four years, including
computer lab, kindergar
ten, Pre-K and special
eduction. Something
special she brings to her
classroom is “a big heart for
each kid in my class” and a
love for watching students
succeed. Her interests away
from work are camping,
family time, and making
crafts and other things with
her Cricket machine. Her
message to the community
is that she loves helping
children on a daily basis.
Elizabeth Fogarty
will be a kindergarten
paraprofessional. She has
the experience of student
teaching and is a senior
at Middle Georgia State
University, gaining new
knowledge and informa
tion every day. She wants
to teach in Monroe County
Schools because of the
positive people in the
school system. Something
special she brings to her
classroom is that she is very
energetic and will meet or
surpass the energy of kin
dergarteners so that all will
have a great time. Outside
of work her friends are
most important to her. She
loves to shop and to go on
trips to various places. Her
message to the community
is that she is excited to be in
Monroe County Schools.
Amanda Fossett
will be a kindergarten
paraprofessional. She didn’t
grow up in Georgia but has
always heard great things
about Monroe County
schools. Something special
she brings to her classroom
is making connections with
children individually. What
is important to her away
from work is spending
time with her three boys,
who are 7,5 and 3. She says
she will do everything she
can to help her students
succeed and will treat them
as if they were her own
children.
Ashley Garner
will be a special educa
tion teacher. She previ
ously worked as a 1st grade
paraprofessional in Bibb
County and recently gradu
ated from Middle Georgia
State University with a B.S.
in elementary and special
education and a reading
endorsement. She wants
to serve the community
where she lives and have
an impact in the lives of
children and families.
Something special she
brings to her classroom
is energy and enthusiasm
and knowledge of the latest
teaching strategies. Out
side of teaching she enjoys
spending time with her
husband, their two dogs
and extended family. She
also loves soaking up the
sun at the lake and beach.
“I am so excited to be start
ing my career as a teacher
in Monroe County’ she
said.
Emily Swift is a Pre-K
paraprofessional. She was
the lead Pre-K teacher at
Houston Road Daycare and
came to Monroe County
“because it is the best
school district.” Something
special she brings to her
classroom is that she gives
her heart to her children
and always puts their needs
first. Outside of her job,
her family is important to
her and she enjoys going to
church, going fishing, going
shopping and hanging out
at the pool and beach. Her
message to the community
is “I am here to support
and help in any way I pos
sibly can!”
The public library can be a wonderful resource
By Luz Estrella (Star)
Pompa Correa
This essay was written as part
of the application for the Friends
of Monroe County Library 2022
scholarship, with the prompt: “In
a 350-500 word essay, describe
some of the ways in which public
libraries can benefit individuals
and communities. Whenever pos
sible, please use personal experi
enced support these claims.”
Star Pompa was awarded the
scholarship. She also received the
2022 Middle Georgia Golden
Eagle award in journalism.
W!
en my family
immigrated here
my mother spoke
very little English.
She met these ladies who ran an
English as a Second Language
class at First Baptist. I’ve known
them since I was two years old
and they’ve all impacted my life
greatly. Mrs. Leila Bass spoke
Spanish and English, so she
became very important in mine
and my mother’s life. She was like
a grandmother to me and every
two weeks we would go to the
Forsyth Public Library together.
She would pick out books for me
to read and would encourage me
to read all the big books I was in
terested in. I would get 10+ books
every time. The library became
my comfort place growing up.
Libraries are a safe space for
children growing up and they
create an atmosphere to develop
learning skills. Going to the li
brary can help a child’s education
and can help with their literacy,
especially if they go from a young
age. I began reading when I was
three years old and ever since I
started school my reading level
has always been one of the high
est in the class. I always attribute
my success in school to Mrs.
Leila Bass and Mrs. Mary Ann
Leverett who encouraged me to
read books upon books when
I was young. A child’s mind is
malleable and it’s so easy to cre
ate smarter children by taking
them to the local library.
Even in a digital age, libraries
are still important for the com
munity. A good library doesn’t
just have books on a shelf. They
provide other resources to the
community, like computers,
internet, printing, etc. I remem
ber growing up having to go to
the library to do my projects on
the computer and then having to
print out the pages for 25 cents
each page. During the summer
months, I would do online Dual
Enrollment courses at Middle
Georgia State University but at
my house we don’t get inter
net service so I would be at the
library for hours getting my work
done.
All of my essential memories
come from being at the library.
The public library has been an
integral part of my upbringing.
I spent my summers growing up
trying to read all the books on
the shelf. I went from reading the
Fancy Nancy books to starting
The Magic Treehouse chapter
books to using the SAT prep
books and reading autobiogra
phies of some of my favorite mu
sicians, like John Lennon. Mrs.
Bass passed away in September
of2021 and every time I read a
book I feel connected to her.
For me, the library has been
everything in my childhood. It’s
helped me be the best student I
can be, encourage my love for
reading, and been a comfort
place. The same can be said for
others. Libraries are such a great
benefit for communities in help
ing child literacy and providing
alternate resource during and
after the school year.
TG SCOTT
Continued from Front
system and to give her
children the chance to
remain in a school system
they love. Something spe
cial she brings to her class
room is a fresh perspective
and eagerness to learn as
she comes from a corpo
rate world and has a newly
blended family. Outside of
work, she and her husband
enjoy restoring and modi
fying their Ford Mustangs.
She enjoys movie nights
and crafting with family.
Her message to the com
munity is that she’s happy
to begin her new career as a
T.G. Scott Bear.
London Ray will be a
special education parapro
fessional. She is a senior at
Middle Georgia State Uni
versity earning a Bachelor’s
degree in Early Childhood
Education. She wants to
teach in Monroe County
because she believes the
system works to insure
all students are equipped
with an education to insure
success. Something special
she brings to her classroom
is being a team player. She
works well with others
and is open-minded and
flexible. When she isn’t at
work, she loves to take her
dog for walks, travel, rim,
walk, cook and hang out
with family. Her message
to the community is that
she is thankful to be a part
of Monroe County Schools
and looks forward to a
great year.
Lauren Stett will be a
Pre-K paraprofessional. She
was a stay-at-home mom
with an in-home daycare
that allowed her to help
out friends in need of child
care. When her youngest
child started school, she
went to work for a daycare
in Monroe County. During
Covid, she stayed home to
help her children with vir
tual learning. She worked
briefly at another daycare
and an orthodontist office
but decided the best fit for
her will be working within
Monroe County Schools to
be working with children
and to have a schedule that
matches that of her own
children. She is attracted to
Monroe County Schools
because the feeling of
family is outstanding and
co-workers actually love
their jobs. Something spe
cial that she brings to her
classroom is that she gives
100 percent in everything
she does and “I have a
genuine love for kids and
it thrills my soul to watch
them learn and grow’’
Outside of work, her family
and her church are impor
tant to her. Her message to
the community is that she
will love, respect and treat
her students like her own
children.
Kasey Stuursma will
teach 3rd grade. She taught
1st grade for two years in
Bibb County. She is at
tracted to Monroe County
Schools for its leaders, high
expectations and culture.
Something special she
brings to her classroom is
“joyful energy and pas
sion.” Away from work, she
enjoys spending time with
her husband, traveling,
sports and being involved
in her church community.
She said she is very excited
to join the Monroe County
Schools family.
Carol Underwood
will be teaching an Inte
grated Learning Class
room. She was a practic
ing attorney for 14 years
before deciding on a career
change to education. Her
daughter will be entering
2nd grade at T.G. Scott, and
she is proud to be joining
the team as a teacher at a
system among the highest
performing in Georgia. The
unique nature of her class
room is that she will work
in a more individualized
one-on-one relationship
with the students. Some
thing special she brings to
her classroom is a priority
to develop a relationship
of trust and provide a safe,
structured and loving envi
ronment. Outside of work
she loves spending time
with family and friends and
reading a good book. She is
excited for the new school
year and cannot wait to
serve the kids.