Great communities have great schools. High Point Schools Partnership creates impactful connections between our schools and the wider community to ensure students and their families are supported and can reach their full potential in High Point schools.

Part of High Point Schools Partnerships’ mission is to improve the image of our schools through storytelling. Who better to tell the stories of High Point’s schools than the people experiencing it first-hand? In this series of articles, we will highlight our 2022 High Point Extraordinary Educators as we dive deeper into what keeps them motivated in the face of constant challenges.

2022 Extraordinary Educator: LaToya Terrell

LaToya Terrell started at Allen Jay Prep 3 years ago. She stayed, first and foremost, because of the administration team. Principal, Dr. Wheat, and Assistant Principal, Dr. Smith gave the staff at AJP the freedom to be teachers. They encourage creativity in the classroom, and they support you as a professional in every way possible.

Secondly, the 5th-grade team she works with is the BEST…  They have a genuine bond, so much so that they eat lunch together every single day!  😊  Lastly, She stayed because of the atmosphere that Allen Jay has.  With all the things that are going on with education today, Terrell can say that she truly enjoys coming to work and having FUN while teaching my 5^th graders.  After coming to AJP, her career as an educator has been rejuvenated!

Dr. Kevin Wheat, the principal of Allen Jay Preparatory Academy, describes Mrs. Terrell as “an All-Star Teacher at Allen Jay Prep” and “a leader of other teachers.”

According to Dr.Wheat, Mrs. Terrell “Consistently engages her scholars at a high level, challenging them to think critically, anchor their responses in evidence from the text, and express their ideas in an articulate fashion.”

Mrs. Terrell wants her students to hear her say “Thank you!”  “Thank you for entrusting me with your education. Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of the person you are becoming.”

Q: What inspired you to become an educator?

A: Growing up, I used to love playing “school” with my cousins.  There was only one rule… I always had to be the teacher!  I have always enjoyed showing and explaining how to do things to other people, so I felt that being a teacher was what I was born to do!  I am usually a very quiet and reserved person.  The classroom brings out the best in me.  It’s where I feel the most confidence.

Q: What’s your teaching/leadership style?

A: My leadership style as a teacher…  I set boundaries and expectations early.  I create a certain level of respect between each scholar and myself and once those things have been established then the fun can begin!!  The scholars see me more as a “mother figure” and often say, “Mrs. Terrell, you sound like my mother!”  I have high expectations for each scholar, and I push them to that limit, but at the same time, they know I care!  

Q: Do you have a classroom motto or philosophy you abide by? Why?

A: My classroom philosophy that I try to instill in all scholars is to “put forth your BEST effort”.  I want scholars to know that if you have tried your very best, that’s all we can ask for.  My goal for this philosophy is to let scholars know that everyone’s “best” is different and that you are not in competition with anyone, but yourself!  I firmly believe that all scholars can succeed, but everyone’s success looks different…  This is why I encourage them to always put forth THEIR best effort in everything they do.   

Q: What’s your favorite part about every day?

A: The best part of every day is greeting my scholars at the door each morning. Arrival sets the stage for having an awesome day and I enjoy being a part of that.  Welcoming the scholars and giving them comfort in knowing that it’s a brand-new day and whatever happened yesterday is in the past.  Each day is a fresh start, so make it count!    

Q: What’s your most memorable moment as an educator?

A: One of the most memorable moments as an educator has been seeing my former scholars all grown up! I just finished my 19th year of teaching and I taught 2nd grade for 10 of those years, so I occasionally run into a scholar or their parents that I taught in second grade.  Seeing an adult version of someone that I taught all those years ago is so surreal.  And the fact that they still remember me or something that happened during that year is awesome.  Just to know that I had a small part of their growth is such a wonderful feeling!  

Mrs. Terrell is just one of High Point’s 2022 Extraordinary Educators. Tune in for the next few weeks to hear more stories and inspiring moments from our local teachers!

Thank you so much to LaToya Terrell for your dedication to High Point’s students. Congratulations on being selected as your school’s 2022 Extraordinary Educator!

To find out more about High Point Schools Partnership and our work, please visit our Facebook page and check out our page on Guilford Education Alliance’s website.

Article written by High Point Schools Partnership Staff

2021 Extraordinary Educators: Lauren Ackerman

Great communities have great schools. High Point Schools Partnership creates impactful connections between our schools and the wider community to ensure students and their families are supported and can reach their full potential in High Point schools.

Part of High Point Schools Partnerships’ mission is to improve the image of our schools through storytelling. Who better to tell the stories of High Point’s schools than the people experiencing it first-hand? In this series of eight articles, we will highlight our 2021 High Point Extraordinary Educators as we dive deeper into what keeps them motivated in the face of constant challenges.

Lauren Ackerman

Lauren Ackerman will have been at Allen Jay Preparatory Middle School for 6 years at the end of this upcoming school year. She applauds the “phenomenal leadership” and “amazing teachers,” and cites her constant “learning and growing” as a result of her colleagues as some of the reasons she stays.

Allen Jay Preparatory Middle School’s principal, Kevin Wheat, says Mrs. Ackerman is someone who is “creative, passionate, and brings a high level of energy to the classroom.” According to Wheat, during remote learning, she “organized rotation schedules, developed robust online lessons, and communicated with students and families to ensure everyone’s success.  Her lessons were engaging, informative, and supported student learning under very challenging conditions.”

Mrs. Ackerman wants her students and families to know that she “gives 100% of myself every time I am in the classroom.” Although she may have high expectations, and there are times when scholars might want to give up, she will never give up on her scholars and “always has their best interest at heart.” She “will always be their biggest cheerleader in the classroom and will always be there to celebrate their successes and work through their challenges.”

Mrs. Ackerman wants to learn a foreign language “to be fun and exciting; not a burden or a bore.”

Q: What inspired you to become an educator?

A: My experiences in the Spanish classroom in middle school and high school inspired my love of the language and culture. I had some amazing teachers that challenged me in the foreign language classroom but also opened my eyes to a world beyond what I was familiar with. I was able to travel abroad in high school, and multiple times in college, which only solidified my interest in the Spanish language. I knew when I graduated I wanted to do something with the Spanish language and felt teaching was the path I should take, with the hope that I might instill the same type of passion and interest in another language and culture as my teachers instilled in me.

Q: What’s your teaching/leadership style?

A: I have very high expectations for my scholars because I know they can rise to the occasion and give every lesson their all and their absolute best. I want my scholars to be challenged, but I try to do it in a way to makes it less overwhelming. We sing! We dance! And we speak the language! I foster an environment where scholars can come to me with difficulties and can feel comfortable asking questions when they don’t understand.

Q: Do you have a classroom motto or philosophy you abide by? Why?

A: “Allow your students the opportunity to see mistakes and imperfections as part of the process.”

Learning a foreign language can be very challenging, and from time to time, a scholar will shut down and want to give up. I know how frustrating it can be to feel like you just… aren’t getting it. But, making mistakes and learning from them is part of life, and it’s expected whenever learning something new. When that same scholar that “just couldn’t get it” and wanted to give up finally grasps a concept, the confidence they gain and exude is magical.

Q: What’s your favorite part about every day?

A: The best part of my day is when I deliver a smooth, successful lesson that the scholars understand and enjoy. I love seeing the learning taking place and seeing the fabulous results. I love seeing scholars who may have been hesitant at first, or not very confident, start to develop the confidence to try speaking the language.

Q: What’s your most memorable moment as an educator?

A: There are many moments that have occurred throughout my 11 years of teaching that continue to remind me why I do what I do, but the most recent moment that resonates with me occurred about 3 years ago. It was the beginning of my third year at Allen Jay and I was on maternity leave with my second child. I received an email from a parent of a student I had during the previous 2 years. She simply wanted to say “thank you” for preparing her son so well in Spanish I during 7^th and 8^th grade. She went on to say he was doing great in Spanish II and that I had truly made a difference for him. This email had a huge effect on me because sometimes, as educators, we don’t know the impression we have on our scholars. I always hope I provide my scholars with the tools and skills needed to be successful. Receiving this email helped to validate what I do in the classroom and is a reminder that I am making an impact.

Ms. Lauren Ackerman “fully believes in Allen Jay’s program” and “loves to see the scholars thrive in an engaging and rigorous classroom environment” at Allen Jay Preparatory Middle School.

Thank you so much to Lauren Ackerman for your dedication to High Point’s students. Congratulations on being selected as your school’s 2021 Extraordinary Educator!

To find out more about High Point Schools Partnership and our work, please visit our Facebook page and check out our page on Guilford Education Alliance’s website.

Article written by High Point Schools Partnership Staff