Kate Williams may be starting her freshman year at Johnson High School, but she’ll never forget her time at Encino Park Elementary School.
“I can definitely say that Encino Park has made a lasting impression on me thanks to some of the amazing teachers I’ve had over the years.”
Principal James Miller invited Kate to come and speak to teachers and staff ahead of the 2023 – 2024 school year. She shared the positive, lasting effects that strong student-teacher relationships have had on her.
“As teachers, you all have the ability to change the way a student views education and their future,” said Kate.
Kate had three former teachers proudly watching from the audience -- Cindy Rich, Julie Vandertulip and Monica Reyes.
She still remembers an engaging lesson that involved sorting M&Ms to learn fractions in Reyes’ class.
In fourth grade, when Kate was gearing up to take the Writing STAAR test, Vandertulip eased their worries with a camping-themed lesson to make writing fun and exciting.
And Rich made the challenge of learning 3-D shapes in kindergarten a little easier after some one-on-one attention and encouragement.
“I remember being in kindergarten, I had Mrs. Rich, and the topic was drawing 3-D shapes. And for whatever reason, I didn’t understand it. I was struggling and frustrated, and I remember she took me aside and broke it down for me. She showed me step-by-step how to do it and that really stood out to me. I still remember it all these years later. Little things like that really help students build trust with their teachers and leave a positive impact on them.”
Thank you to the Encino Park staff and all North East ISD teachers who go the extra mile to connect with our students #theNEISDway.
