Teacher Stories

Mrs. Young's Story

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I found Holy Comforter as a workplace by accident. My husband and I were looking at PK4 options for my daughter back in 2006. She was three, and we were planning ahead. On the tour, the school just shined. The curriculum was based on play and discovery, which was everything I wanted for my child. As the tour continued, the admissions director brought us to the Middle School. Being a middle school teacher who had become a stay-at-home mom for three years, I was not planning to go back into the classroom for at least another year. There was no reason to see the Middle School, but we visited anyway. While talking about the Middle School, I learned they were looking for a social studies teacher. I could teach on the campus where my three year old would be; it sounded perfect!  

I filled out the application, taking a shot. I was hoping to stay home one more year, but why not teach at the school where my children would be for the next ten years. Throughout the interview process, I saw the whole picture clearer. The questions asked by the committee were not the typical questions I had encountered at other schools. The questions looked at the whole child, were God-centered, and were excellence-seeking. Throughout the hiring process, the standard  of trying to be a better person today than you were yesterday was obvious. I was asked to teach two classes of World Geography as part of my interview process. This school was different; Holy Comforter was the only school to watch me teach before hiring me. During the two classes, Barbara Hodges, Caroline Chapin, Pat Jung, and several other middle school teachers sat in the classes, taking notes and asking questions. If all this happened to hire me, what did they do for all the levels of teaching? I wanted my children to go to Holy Comforter, and I wanted to be part of the high standards I clearly saw.  

Once hired, I was even more impressed with the program. The autonomy and support I received to approach World Geography and American History with the experience I brought from public schools from all over the state, was welcomed.  I have been supported throughout my career here at HCES. My requests for materials and continuing education to help my teaching have been supported: purchasing 24 clocks to show all the time zones, pushing for the voice-enhancing amplification system in my class (my room was one of the first four rooms to get the system), acquiring standing desks to help with diverse student learning, sending me to professional conferences for extra technology training, and getting iPad Pro to use in my classroom.

Now that’s just a tip of the iceberg of what it’s like for me to teach at Holy Comforter. I could continue with the intangible assets such as the great faculty I spend my days with, and the support I feel from each one of them. I work with some awesome people. I teach at Holy Comforter because I am supported to be a better teacher today than I was yesterday.  

Melissa Young, Middle School Teacher
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