April Mathers Teacher with Heart
April Mathers — Wouldn’t you like to be greeted every morning with this smiling face? This is how April’s third graders get to start their day. (Cindy Sutherland)
Tammy Wallis (Stafford Principal) wanted to come up with a way for teachers to be recognized for their outstanding teaching skills and hard work they put in everyday. Thus, the Teacher’s Heart Award. This award is awarded every six weeks. This time the award went to third grade teacher April Mathers.
April Mathers is no stranger to the Italy ISD school system. She has lived in Italy all her life and graduated from Italy ISD. She went on to complete her education at Texas A & M through Navarro and graduated in 2002 with her teaching degree.
When asked why she chose teaching as a career, Mathers replied, “I grew up in Italy and graduated from Italy IHS. So I had a lot of really great teachers and a lot of really great people to look up to. I was in the PAL program (Peer Assistance & Leadership). We used to do a lot of volunteer work at the elementary and I just loved it. I could do it forever. I just love kids and knew this is all I ever wanted to do. So when I went to college I knew what my major was right away. I decided that this is what I was going to do and it is very rewarding.”
April is thrilled to be teaching at Stafford Elementary, "I asked to do my student teaching here and I was put in the third grade with Melissa Bedard. I also did some student teaching with Mrs. Madrell in the second grade. I just loved third grade and Stafford Elementary. It just so happened that the next year when I graduated in the spring there was an opening for a third grade position so it just sort of fell into place like it was supposed to. This is my ninth year and I love teaching at Stafford.
Getting the Teacher with Heart award means a lot to Mathers, she explained, “This award is given to you by your peers. The other teachers nominate you. I have been nominated before but this is the first time I have won the award. It is pretty special, it means a lot to me because that means my peers are impressed with me as a teacher. It is an honor because it means they think I am doing a good job and that means a lot to me.”
“I love the Italy school. Italy is my home town so it is special to me because I know a lot of the parents, grew up with most of them. It helps with the bond that I have with the kids. It is special to me, it means a lot. I am very proud of my home town and I am proud to teach here.”
Congratulations April Mathers, we are glad you are here.