MS. TAMMY HANSHAW
Q: Why did you want to come work in the Freedom School District?
A: I was looking to further my career. I am a TSS [Therapeutic Support Staff] worker and wanted better opportunities.
Q: How long have you been a teacher/ aide?
A: This is my first official start as a paraprofessional.
Q: What is the oddest thing about coming back to a high school as anything but a student yourself? What perspective(s) have you gained from this experience?
A: It does feel different being a teacher in a high school. The staff and the kids have welcomed me with open arms!
MRS. BRANDACE CONEY
Q: Why did you want to come work in the Freedom School District?
A: I wanted to be an educator so I went to the University of Pittsburgh… I found that I’m more drawn to kids so my goal is to follow in the footsteps of my family members and to be a teacher… What made me really want to work here [at Freedom] was the principals, Mr. Deal and Mr. Smith and how they described the surrounding area and how much Freedom Area actually supports Freedom Area schools.
Q: How long have you been a teacher/ aide?
A: I’ve been a teacher for 11 years.
Q: What is the oddest thing about coming back to a high school as anything but a student yourself? What perspective(s) have you gained from this experience?
A: The oddest thing about coming back to high school is seeing that nothing has changed, other than the cell phones [usage]. The perspective that I’ve gained is that as much as things have changed, they stay the same and the main focus is to reach not necessarily teach… I feel that you have to reach the kids before you can teach them.
MS. KAYLNN HILL
Q: Why did you want to come work in the Freedom School District?
A: I recently graduated from college in May, and I needed to gain some experience working with kids/students, and I heard Freedom was hiring, so I decided why not try Freedom, so here I am!
Q: How long have you been a teacher/ aide?
A: This is my first year being an Instructional Aide.
Q: What is the oddest thing about coming back to a high school as anything but a student yourself?
A: Coming back to work at a high school and not being a student wasn’t really weird, it just made me miss high school. It just brought back memories from when I was in high school such as prom, homecoming, hanging out after school and playing sports. High school was fun for me, but it definitely is weird not seeing a computer lab, and seeing all students carrying laptops. That was weird to me and different!