Name: Cheryl Smith

Family: Josh (husband), son Jace (7) and daughter Helenah (5)

School: Hughson Elementary

Position: Kindergarten teacher

Experience and education: This will be my 10th year teaching kindergarten. I came from Sylvan Union School District in Modesto and graduated CSU Stanislaus in 2006.

What attracted you to Hughson? I have lived in Hughson my whole life and have always wanted to come back to the school that I went to and teach. I have a lot of wonderful memories of things that I did when I went to Hughson Elementary and am so excited to continue some of them, except now as a teacher! I love that Hughson Unified still participates in many of the small-town traditions like the Halloween parade, homecoming and Ag Day.

What most inspires you about what you do? I love when you get to see those moments in the classroom where something you have been teaching “clicks” or students make a connection. It is truly rewarding to watch when students are learning new skills.

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? I look forward to learning and implementing a different ELA curriculum (Wonders) and the diagnostic tool I-Ready.

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? This is a hard one as there are so many, but my current favorite is a magnetic letter board that students use during phonics. Students get to practice manipulating letters on their tray to decode or encode words.            

What do you want your students to remember? I want students in my classroom to remember the fun they had while they were learning. I try to incorporate learning in a variety of ways: crafts, projects, songs, movement, etc.

How can parents support what you do? I will always be appreciative of parents who support their child’s education by making sure they value school attendance and become involved in what their child is learning in the classroom. They can do this by reading classroom newsletters and talking to their child about what they have learned or activities they have done that week.

What would surprise people about your job? Kindergarten is such a special grade level because students are learning more than just academics. For some students, this is their first time in a classroom or around children other than family members. In kindergarten, students learn how to interact with peers (socially and academically), learn how to be responsible (for themselves, classroom/school materials and their school work)  and how to follow school rules.

What do you do for fun? I enjoy watching my kids in the activities they are involved in (dance, soccer, basketball and swimming), spending time with my family as much as possible and enjoying my “me time” on occasion.