Sue Mendoza is ready to get started as Stafford Elementary’s new special education teacher. She has been teaching for eight years and is now ready to bring her expertise to Stafford students.

Mendoza graduated from University of Texas at Arlington with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She received her masters degree from Grand Canyon University in reading instruction and curriculum. And now she has her certification in special education.

As a fourth grade teacher she has taught for two years at Faith Family Academy in Oak Cliff, three years at Amber Terrace in Desoto and three years at Pleasant Run Elementary in Lancaster. One day she would like to teach writing and english at college level.

Before she started teaching she worked as a supervisor in the loan department for Chase bank for twenty years. She said, “At the time I had a family to help support and the money was good. Now I get to help students and it is really rewarding to know I can make a difference in a child’s life.”

When asked what made her decide to teach Mendoza replied, “I was on the school board in Lancaster for six years and I saw the good that was being done and I wanted to be a part of that.”

What Mendoza wants for her students is for them to succeed, to feel successful and to be successful. She said, “At the end of the year I would like to see that they have grown at least one year in academics.”

She is married to Leno Mendoza and has two sons, Jesse and Jason Martinez. Her two sons own Mr. Jim’s Pizza in Red Oak.

In her spare time Sue is a part of the North Texas Professional Writing Association. They meet twice a month and critique each other’s writing. She is currently writing a teenage novel.

Mendoza can’t wait to get started teaching her new students at Stafford Elementary. She said, “The staff are very nice, warm and welcoming and I can’t wait for school to start.”