As a new school year begins, many new teacher members do too. The start of a new school year can be a nerve-wracking time for teachers. Whether it’s their very first time teaching, or their first experience at a new school, it’s important to recognize them and make them feel welcomed in the village.

Dana Myers

Dana Myers is a new English teacher here. She started teaching more right after COVID, and she taught at multiple schools before coming here.
“I started teaching right before COVID shut down our schools. I have taught middle school at Southeast Middle in Kernersville, preschool at Calvary Baptist and my own kid, Raine, through homeschool. I love everything about school and learning, which is why I keep going back and trying to get more education,” Myers said.

Myers loves teaching for many reasons especially the relationships she forms with the students throughout the year.The best thing about being a teacher, to me, is the people I get to meet and build relationships with. Of course, I enjoy having summers free to travel and spend time with my family, but I also really appreciate the rhythm of the school year. We start mid-August, before long, there’s Labor Day, Fall Break and Thanksgiving. I love it because I have regular chances to reset, recharge, and come back ready for my students,” Myers said.

Kaela Lynn
Lynn has taught for many years, and she used to be a teacher for deaf kids at Wiley Middle School.
“I have taught at 3 other schools and was at Wiley Middle for 9 years teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. When I changed positions to teach ASL, I was split between RJ Reynolds (A days) and Glenn (B days). After 2 years, RJ Reynolds no longer needed me, but West did, I am still split, but with West instead of RJ Reynolds and Glenn still,” Lynn said.
Lynn taught with the other ASL teacher, Jessica Vaden, before, so she is happy to have a familiar face to work with.
“I’m excited to work with Ms. Vaden again because we worked together at Wiley for 5 years and developed a great relationship, but when we both decided to teach ASL, we split to work at different schools. we kept in touch since we teach the same subject, but now we get to work together and watch each other teach. It’s been great learning from her,” Lynn said.
Lynn enjoys many aspects of being a teacher, including the relationships she gains with the kids she teaches.
“A pro of teaching is developing positive relationships with ‘the youth’ and helping them grow into decent and productive people outside of school. For me, that’s students realizing they can make the world a better, inclusive place for the deaf community,” Lynn said.

Kristal Howard

Howard has been a teacher for many years, but in prior years mostly taught at middle schools.
“My first two years teaching, I taught at Northwest Middle School, took a year of maternity leave, then moved to Clemmons Middle School in 2017. I taught there for seven years until I took another year of maternity leave, then joined Virtual Academy for a few months finishing out last school year, then moved to West Forsyth,” Howard said.
While this is her first time teaching here, Howard has been an active part of the village through coaching.

“I was on the coaching staff here last year, and I am very excited to now be at West full-time. I know quite a bit of the students because I either taught them in middle school or coached them. I love seeing them in class or the halls and catching up on life, and I am excited to continue to work with students I’ve not met. I’m most nervous about the content I am teaching because the standards I’m now teaching, I’ve never taught before, so I’m a little nervous, but also excited for change,” Howard said.
Howard thoroughly enjoys teaching and believes that being a teacher is a positive experience.
“Some pros of teaching are getting to know and positively impact the next generations, making learning fun, helping young people make sense of the world, and seeing them grow and thrive academically and personally,” Howard said.

Maria Colamarino

For a multitude of reasons, Colamarino is enjoying being a teacher.
“The staff and students at West have been kind, friendly, and great to work with. Campus is so big and open. I am enjoying all the fresh air, green grass and blue sky,” Colamarino said.

When new teachers begin, it’s important to recognize them and treat them with respect as they turn to a new chapter in their lives.