St. John Teacher of the Year

NAME:  Mary Kathleen Jones
SCHOOL:  St. John School
GRADE:  Currently, 3rd - 8th grade. I have worked with students as young as Pre-K.
SUBJECT AREAS:  Reading Therapist as of last school year. I started my teaching career at St. John School as a 5th-grade teacher. After several years in 5th grade, I became the school's first and, until last year, only computer teacher.  While teaching computers, I also taught Middle School Religion until transitioning to part-time reading remediation. Summer 2020, I became a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and transitioned to a full-time reading therapist in the 2020-21 school year.
LENGTH OF SERVICE: 30 years
 
Why is teaching important to you?

You could say teaching is in my blood. My father, Robert Hilt, was a professor at Pittsburg State University. My mother, Mary Hilt, was an elementary teacher until stopping to care for her seven children. All five of their daughters are currently teachers. I decided that I wanted to become a teacher in high school. My dream was to help kids like me. I did not know what that meant at the time because I had never heard the word dyslexia. It has been a journey to get to this point in time. Through God’s divine providence, I am fulfilling my high school dream. I have enjoyed the different roles I played in my teaching career including, 5th-grade teacher, computer teacher, and Middle School Religion teacher. What I am doing now is extra special because I know God is using me to change lives. I honestly believe God has been preparing me for this role my entire life. I feel overwhelmed and blessed by the people and events that God has used to bring me to this point in time.

What is your favorite memory of being a teacher? 

It is hard to choose just one. Bringing my children to school with me and watching them grow has brought me many special memories. The days when one of my students catches the curve are incredible. Catching the curve means the student's reading comprehension reaches the 50th percentile or better. I think I tend to get more excited than my students. One recent favorite memory happened when I was reading with one of my students. We heard the class across the hall cheering. A text told us that school had been canceled the next day due to a forecasted ice storm. My student started to get excited and then said, “But our story is just getting good.” My heart jumped to think my student was not sure he wanted the day off.
 
How do you encourage parents to support their children in education?

The best advice I can give the parents of my students is to be their cheerleaders. All students need to know that someone believes in them and recognizes their gifts and talents. This is especially true when aspects of school are challenging. Secondly, I encourage parents to read to their students or use audiobooks to build vocabulary and background knowledge. My students are smart kids who deserve to enjoy rich literature in other ways until they reach the point where they read those texts for themselves.

What are some of your favorite school traditions?

My favorite school traditions are those that revolve around our faith. Friday Mass with the beautiful music led by our incredible music teacher, school-wide rosaries, and morning circle. A fun tradition to watch is when the Fire Department comes on the last day of school. 

What is your favorite book to either read or assign to students? 

One of my favorite books is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I love when the students start making connections between our faith and the story. I was reading this book with the student mentioned in my favorite memories.  

CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO THE SFOA TUITION ASSISTANCE TRUST IN HONOR OF MARY JONES.   DONATE HERE TODAY.