The road to Mount Daniel Elementary School is long and steep. Specifically, the last two-tenths of a mile of North Oak Street has an incline of almost 10%. Fourteen years ago, after putting my firstborn child on the school bus for her first day of Kindergarten, I decided to take a different route for my morning run. While I had complete confidence in the FCCPS transportation team, this was the first time that neither I nor my husband were bringing our daughter to her destination.
As I ran to the top of the North Oak Street hill and approached the school, feeling every percentage of the previously mentioned incline, I stopped by a tree well before the path to the front door to catch my breath and pretend to stretch. I figured I would wait unnoticed until the bus came, and I could watch my daughter arrive and walk into school. My attempt to blend into the scenery was unsuccessful, and I was soon spotted by a teacher who came over to ask if they could help me with anything.
After I explained that my Kindergartener would soon be arriving on the bus, the teacher began telling me about the nurturing and caring environment where my daughter would spend her days. She explained how staff at Mount Daniel were skilled at quickly recognizing each child’s learning style and how to engage them best to support their individual needs. She confidently predicted that my child would be immersed in the routine and well on her way within days, experiencing the caring and welcoming environment evident throughout FCCPS. My nerves settled as the bus pulled up, and I watched my daughter step off, marching confidently up the stairs through the school door without a glance in any direction.
A year later, my youngest child started Kindergarten, and the following years were filled with much growth and warm experiences. The kindness my girls experienced and were encouraged to exhibit with their peers and their larger community was a consistent element every year. The IB Learner Profile attributes of being caring and open-minded became a part of their everyday life. Both of my daughters have since graduated from Meridian High School with the knowledge to take them on their continued educational journey and with a genuine attentiveness to the acceptance and well-being of others.
As the FCCPS Director of Human Resources, I have interacted with many individuals who make up the caring community of FCCPS. One of the most touching examples of this community’s impact can be observed when we review nominations for employee recognition awards. We receive nominations for staff members that parents or co-workers submit every year. The most significant are those initiated by students who want to recognize a teacher or other staff member who has affected their lives. These contributions go beyond teaching calculus or history, highlighting the personal aspects of being seen and heard or feeling accepted. These attributes have contributed to developing our students into kind people, and that’s what makes FCCPS special.
About Amy Hall: In addition to her role as Director of Human Resources of the Falls Church City Public Schools, Amy is also the parent of two children who attended FCCPS from kindergarten through high school. Originally from the Midwest, Amy worked in the private sector before joining FCCPS as an employee in 2016. She lives with her husband and dog in Falls Church. With her children away at school, she looks forward to more frequent travel to attend football games in Michigan—go Blue!