Reading, writing, ‘rithmatic: Perkins to start her first year teaching

First-year teacher Sydney Perkins, left, and mentor Ashley Best, both kindergarten teachers at South Breeze Elementary School in Newton, look over something from the fine-motor skill bins. Wendy Nugent/Newton Now

By Wendy Nugent, Newton Now

Not many teachers get to return to their old elementary schools to teach, but Sydney Perkins found the odds in her favor as she prepares to be a kindergarten instructor at South Breeze Elementary School.

She will be one of three kindergarten teachers, there.

It’s pretty awesome,” she said, Monday afternoon in her classroom. “That’s another reason why I accepted this position. I was very happy to come back. Everyone is very kind and friendly and supportive. So, I’m very happy.”

She said it’s fun to say she’s teaching at her old elementary school where she was a “Roadrunner,” the school mascot.

There’s been a lot of remodeling since I attended here,” she said, recalling how the library was housed in a mobile home-type structure. “They’ve done a lot of adding on.”

This isn’t the first time, however, she’s worked at the school. After graduating from NHS in 2008, she attended Butler Community College, before transferring to Emporia State University. She ended up working as a special ed paraprofessional for a couple of years, as did a friend of hers at South Breeze, who also hadn’t finished her college degree. Perkins said they motivated each other to go back to college and also helped each other out in college.

We were motivation buddies through school,” Perkins said. “We finished at Bethel.”

Perkins received a bachelor of science degree in education at Bethel College in December 2016. After a series of life events, Perkins put her job situation on hold and moved back to Newton. She ended up getting the same para job she had before. Then, last January, she got her teaching license and started substitute teaching. She then heard about the kindergarten position open at South Breeze, so she applied. She’ll start her first year of teaching this fall.

My own classroom,” she said. “My own kiddos.”

Not only is Perkins teaching in the same school she grew up in, she’s also going to work with her mom, Tami Perkins, who is an office professional at the school.

Perkins said she told the new school principal, Jana Bohling, that her mom would treat her no differently than other teachers. Well, except for having a watchful mom eye, out to greet her.

When I walk by (my mom), she’ll either wink at me or say, ‘Hi, Miss Perkins,’” Perkins said. “It’s always nice to see familiar faces. It’s comforting.”

Perkins’ dad is Roger Perkins, who retired from the Newton Fire/EMS Department.

Perkins already seems quite familiar with others in the building, such as another kindergarten teacher, Ashley Best, who’s taught for more than 10 years.

Since I’m new, actually a lot of the things I’ll be teaching will come from Mrs. Best,” Perkins said, noting that two of the school’s three kindergarten teachers are new this year. “She’s a great help, and I look forward to learning all she has to teach, whether that be classroom management strategies or just overall teaching style.”

There is a set curriculum for kindergarten math and reading that she will use.

It’s pretty scripted,” Perkins said. “All of the resources are online, also.”

Best is an informal mentor and Perkins said formal mentoring will be through the school district.

I knew her personally before I accepted the position,” Perkins said about Best. “That was a determining factor in accepting this position. All around, she’s very kind and generous. When I think of the epitome of the perfect teacher, she comes to mind.”

She said the district has all kinds of new teacher training and part of that is the mentoring.

Kindergarten will begin with half days for the first two weeks and move to full days after Labor Day.

Perkins said the excitement spans far beyond teaching, also. She bought her first laminator and that was exciting, also.

Just getting stuff ready, it’s really exciting,” she said. “I got my key last Monday. It’s nice that we get to come in earlier.”

She said other teachers are also busy decorating classrooms and preparing materials and lesson plans. One of the first things she did was rearrange furniture in the room.

I’m still trying to get the best arrangement in here for my class,” she said.

She plans to have a birthday bulletin board where names and birthdates are displayed, as well as a word wall, so, when they write, students will be able to refer to words. She’ll also have posters representing colors and numbers.

I’m trying to go with a cactus theme,” she said.

There will also be a focus on kindness.

Make sure everyone’s treated with respect,” she said. I’ll tie in a lot of kindness things. We’re also going to focus on rules and procedures. These are really important in Kindergarten, so when they reach first, second and third grades, they’ll be instilled, already.”

With help from a para educator, she plans to have a listening center, read-to-self center and group math spaces, also.

We’ll also have different centers in small groups,” she said. “For reading, we’ll have a group of students targeting a skill.”

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