Marcy Hildebrand just started her 26th year teaching fifth grade in the same classroom at Northwood Elementary School. She can’t imagine herself working anywhere else.
While she’s known as Mrs. Hildebrand by her students, she goes by another name, ‘School Mom.’ That’s because Marcy takes many of the first-time educators at Northwood under her wing as a mentor.
“It really is a bond,” said Hildebrand. “I call them, ‘my girls.’ To me, it’s a support system and I think there’s a lot of team building that happens there. You can’t be taught in college what happens when those little ones are sitting in your classroom.”
Her students, of course, keep her coming back every year. So does the incredible community that surrounds Northwood with love and support. But that bond between colleagues is truly special.
Marcy still remembers her first year teaching, having to figure things out by trial and error. That is partly what compelled her to get involved and give back to the next generation of teachers. It’s also who she is – a leader and a caregiver.
“I remember my first year I didn’t really have anybody to show me the way. I remember thinking, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’ I did have good teachers along the way that helped me, and I know without them it would have been much more difficult.”
North East ISD invests in its first-time teachers with our First Year Teacher Academy and Sophomore Cohort for second year teachers. By pairing them with a mentor teacher like Hildebrand, they have someone there to help them navigate the many “firsts” they’ll face during their first year in the classroom.
With mentors like Marcy available, the next generation of educators is learning from the best #theNEISDway.
