Norco Elementary teacher takes on new role in guiding students with dyslexia

Although this school year will have her in a new role, Mary Terrell is no stranger to St. Charles Parish Public Schools.

“This is my third year at Norco Elementary and my 17th year in education,” the Montz resident said. “I previously worked at Ethel Schoeffner Elementary and St. Rose Elementary.”

Terrell started with St. Charles Parish Public Schools in August of 2012 after working for six years in Texas. She worked as a speech language pathologist at both Schoeffner Elementary and St. Rose Elementary for most of that time, and in August of 2020 she started splitting time between Norco Elementary and St. Rose Elementary.

“My favorite thing about being an educator is watching my students succeed. There is nothing better than seeing the moments where they realize they mastered a skill that they have been working on or have found difficult in the past,” she said. “I also love the relationships that I have created with my students. They mean so much more to me than just the time I see them during our small group.”

Terrell added that she loves seeing her students throughout the day and being able to check in to see how their day is going.

“My students are my reason I show up to work every day,” she said. “They make everyday fun and I love watching them learn and grow each year.”

This school year Terrell has moved into a new role as School Building Level Committee Chair and the Dyslexia Teacher at Norco Elementary School.

“My responsibilities will include working with children in small groups who have difficulty with reading skills and also playing a role in our SBLC committee where we spend time reviewing student cases throughout the year and recommend testing when necessary,” she said. “I will also serve as an advocate of students’ rights.”

Her hopes for this school year, Terrell said, is that every child that she crosses paths with, whether in the hallway or in her classroom, knows that they are the reason she is there.

“I want every child to feel successful in their learning,” she said. “There is truly nothing better than seeing students arrive in the morning and being able to give them a hug or high five as they are coming off of the bus or walking to their class. I think creating a positive atmosphere when they first arrive at school helps set the stage for their day.”

Terrell said there is another – more personal – reason that she is excited about the 2022-23 school year.

“This year is even sweeter because I have all five children attending St. Charles Parish Public Schools,” she said. “My oldest will be a seventh grader at Hurst and my other four will be with me at Norco.”

 

About Monique Roth 919 Articles
Roth has both her undergraduate and graduate degree in journalism, which she has utilized in the past as an instructor at Southeastern Louisiana University and a reporter at various newspapers and online publications. She grew up in LaPlace, where she currently resides with her husband and three daughters.

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