Empowering Educators - Mrs. Kari Steiert

Meet Mrs. Kari Steiert - Kindergarten Teacher, Team Leader, and Sunshine Committee Chair at North Elementary School 

Mrs. Steiert has been an educator for over 15 years. She said that she has always loved children, and she started her career with children in a school aftercare program. At that time, Mrs. Steiert also tried her hand at entrepreneurship, and she bought a small business, Candy Bouquet, where she enjoyed making various arrangements of sweets and candies. While she loved the hands on and creative aspects of this job, she quickly realized that it was not a job that could support her needs - inspiring her to look for a job with the school district. Mrs. Steiert became a paraprofessional at North Elementary School where she has remained to this day. While at NES, Mrs. Steiert also went back to school, and she obtained her teaching degree through Florida Atlantic University. At the time, Mrs. Steiert was part of the AIT program that allowed her to receive on-the-job training from a mentor (Mrs. Barbara James), while also having her own class.

Currently, Mrs. Steiert teaches kindergarten, and she is also the kindergarten team leader. Being a kindergarten teacher is challenging, but it is also fun. Mrs. Steiert said that as a kindergarten teacher, she gets to be the one to see a lot of the "firsts" for each of her students. She says that she feels bad about parents missing out on those firsts when students are at school, and she tries to keep parents included as much as she can through her class Facebook page where she posts pictures and updates about her class and their activities.

Mrs. Steiert is also North Elementary School Sunshine Committee Chair. This task goes along well with Mrs. Steiert's positive attitude and bubbly personality. Under her leadership of this committee, NES has seen a huge increase in various events' participation. For example, the Sunshine Committee holds frequent Create and Decorate meetings with staff members, and they also organized several other staff events prior to the holidays this month. These and other team gatherings such as NES staff Christmas party, Jingle Jog, city Christmas parade, NES door decorating contest, many fundraisers, and even the Secret Santa - all had a high staff participation this year and helped with keeping morale high during times that can otherwise become stressful.

Mrs. Steiert said that she cannot take all the credit, and that the committee was just passed on to her which she truly did not mind. She said that she loves being around people. Having a huge family, she said that they always celebrate something. And while it is fun to do things with a few people, it is more fun when everyone else gets involved. Mrs. Steiert said that she looks forward to doing things with others at North Elementary School. "It is a good group of people", Mrs. Steiert said. "Being together takes away our frustrations. It is like a therapy". She also mentioned that an important aspect of these group activities is the learning from one another. "While it is not about work, we still talk about it, and someone always walks away with a new idea or understanding about work as well."

Mrs. Steiert takes great pride in teaching kindergarten, and she said that people sometimes do not understand all the things that kindergarten teachers have to do. "When people say that teaching kindergarten is easy, it hits a raw spot". She stated that teaching - in kindergarten and beyond, is such an important job and if it was not for a teacher, we would not have the professionals in other areas of life.

The first class that Mrs. Steiert had in kindergarten has now graduated from high school, but Mrs. Steiert says that she still remembers them. She said that these students and others who followed  have been important stepping stones in her life; every student has taught her something, and made her a better teacher.

Looking back, Mrs. Steiert spoke highly about her mentors who paved the way for her career as a kindergarten teacher: Mrs. Barbara James, her mentor through the AIT program, Dr. Pat McCoy who gave her an opportunity as a teacher, Mrs. Carol Gable - her mentor teacher, and Mrs. Cammie Hudson - a team leader who taught her a lot. Mrs. Steiert said that these individuals have pushed and encouraged her, and they have helped her feel successful about what she does. Last but not least, her current colleagues at school play an important role in her learning, she said. This is where the team building activities and "play dates" come in, she said. Being on one team gives us a unique commonality - we are all here for the same reason. When we talk about things, someone usually has a solution, and it helps others - not matter how long they have been teaching.

Mrs. Steiert lover her job, but says that her biggest accomplishment in life is being a mom. She said that she loves children, and she could not imagine her life without them. Her love and caring has definitely carried over into the classroom where Mrs. Steiert lays a first foundation to her students' formal education in a fun and age appropriate kindergarten environment.

Dr. Tuuli Robinson,
Educator and Lifelong Learner

Empowering Educators - Mrs. Jeanne Hazellief

Meet Mrs. Jeanne Hazellief (Myers) - Full Time Exceptional Students' Education Teacher at North Elementary School and North Elementary School First Year (Project ONE) Teacher of the Year 2019 

What makes a great teacher? One way to find out is to visit Mrs. Hazellief's classroom at North Elementary School where she teaches exceptional students' education (ESE) in a full time classroom setting.

Mrs. Hazellief joined the North Elementary School team at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year. Previously, she had worked at Okeechobee High School (OHS) as a paraprofessional and a security guard at the gate. While students at OHS are much older and more independent, Mrs. Hazellief said that just like the little ones at the elementary school, they also wanted to talk to someone; they wanted for someone to listen to them and to be their sounding board. Elementary school students need more guidance, Mrs. Hazellief said; and she sure provides her students with that and so much more.

Even though this is Mrs. Hazellief's first year of teaching, she has already gone through a change of a teaching assignment. Mrs. Hazellief started out as an ESE inclusion teacher, but transitioned soon after into a full time ESE classroom. Being new to what she was doing - Mrs. Hazellief shared that she was initially cautious and even intimidated about another change. Little did she know that she had found her niche - a calling that she is not only good at, but one that she absolutely loves.

Mrs. Hazellief shared that the first year of teaching has been very exciting but also terrifying. Mrs. Hazellief holds a Bachelor's Degree in Human Services, and therefore, she is new to teaching in a classroom setting. This has been a challenge for her, Mrs. Hazellief said. She said that she has been afraid to fail, and more importantly, afraid to fail her students. But then, she said, when she sees her studnets' faces once they finally understand a concept and when they get excited about being successful, it changes everything. Mrs. Hazellief says that it is all about helping students; helping them to become passionate about learning, and being able to believe that they can do it.

Being afraid of the assessments and passing the test is something that Mrs. Hazellief can talk about from her firsthand experience. She said that she was terrified of the teacher certification test, and she was dreading taking it. She was struggling with finding strength to get through it, and she shared it with her students. It was the students, Mrs. Hazellief said, who encouraged her and helped her believe that she can do it. In the interview, Mrs. Hazellief said that when she finally went and took her test, she used her scrap paper for notes during the test. The only thing that she wrote on it was something that her students wanted her to believe in. Her paper said "I can do it". And she did.

As a certified teacher, Mrs. Hazellief has introduced structures and practices in her classroom that are integral for the success of her students. Teaching multiple grade levels in one classroom is a challenge that even most experienced teachers can struggle with, but Mrs. Hazellief makes it look easy and natural. Her small group rotations allow students to get their teacher time while also providing them with individual practice time where they are accountable for their own learning.

When it was time to select the First Year Teacher of the Year at North Elementary School - there was no doubt that Mrs. Hazellief was very deserving of the recognition. It is difficult to say who was more excited about the award - Mrs. Hazellief or her students. The smiles on her students' faces conveyed one common message - they were very proud of their teacher!

Mrs. Hazellief shared that outside the school she enjoys photography and traveling. Her family is also actively involved with community events - specifically events held by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). Her favorite activities with this organization are Shop with the Cop and Pictures with Santa and Grinch. Mrs. Hazellief called both of these events "touching experiences" - something that warms her heart during the holiday season.

North Elementary School  is very proud to call Mrs. Hazellief the NES First Year Teacher of the Year of 2019. We wish Mrs. Hazellief the best of luck at the district competition!

Dr. Tuuli Robinson
Educator and Lifelong Learner