Eight years ago, I was called into the Oak Street Elementary School front office for an interview. After three years of serving as a Special Education paraprofessional, I was taking the risk to try to step into a classroom teaching position. One question my panel asked was to describe myself with three adjectives. Years later, I remember only one word I used: “strong.” My strength does not speak to how much I can deadlift; it speaks to my ability to remain collected and dedicated during unknown times and significant change.
That strength was not developed on my own. It was cultivated by the amazing FCCPS staff and the belief that a handful of the individuals had in my professional growth. That day, the front office paged me back moments after I had ended my interview. I couldn’t imagine I had missed any talking points, so when the panel said they had one more question for me, I was floored. One question can change the trajectory of a life.
That day, my life changed. “We have one more question,” a panelist said. “Would you accept the position of second-grade teacher with us next fall?”
My name is Gail Bodner, and I have been serving as a 2nd grade teacher for the past 7 years at the City of Falls Church. I started as a 4-hour-per-day special education paraprofessional. After a year in that position, I transitioned to a full-time special education paraprofessional working with Layton McCann. She taught me work-life balance, dedication to your craft, and adapting to the needs of your learners. It is my hope that I can share with you some of my experiences over the last decade with FCCPS to give a better understanding of what makes this district exceptional.
The amazing team at Oak Street Elementary school welcomed me. One of my core beliefs is that “to be loved is to be seen.” Layton McCann, Debra Newman, Nancy Peacock, Rob Carey, Amanda Davis, and Paul Swanson all made me feel seen as capable of growth. With their patience, encouragement, and belief, I was able to grow my confidence to step into the role of classroom teacher. They each communicated with my areas of growth in a way that motivated me to do better not only for myself but also for the highly effective team they had built at that school. The love emulated from that school during that season was something to cherish. I will always be proud of my time at Oak Street.
When the 2nd grade moved to Mount Daniel, I was admittedly worried about being away from my close work family. Little did I know that would become the least of my worries as the pandemic hit the world hard and out of nowhere. I developed new and meaningful connections with the women of 2nd grade. We worked together to support one another during extraordinary circumstances.
I became so close with my colleagues that I had the privilege of traveling with Christine Stillwagoner and Gina Thacker over Spring Break, tutoring Amanda Morey’s children, and holding space for each other during the loss of the magnanimous Joanne Woods. This year, my team is again leaning on each other as we navigate through adopting a new curriculum in both core content areas. The job is not easy, but the 2nd-grade team works hard to get through the tough times together. The workload is easier when we share it and can find humor along the way.
Last Spring, I purchased my first home, and the ladies of the 2nd grade team were the first ones to congratulate me. They made me feel like a million bucks for accomplishing something big outside of my life at Mount Daniel. The 2nd-grade team has taught me to celebrate my personal growth as I navigate my professional development. I am thankful for each of them.
As the world began to navigate shutdown and FCCPS began learning virtually, I developed a deeper appreciation for the community members of Falls Church. While each year brings a remarkable cluster of families and students, an instance remains a treasured memory during this period of my life.
One day, I felt overwhelmed from trying to engage 7-year-olds for a full online school day. I had become noticeably ill on screen and was trying to push through. One extremely thoughtful and generous parent noted my less-than-ideal state. She sent me a long message of appreciation and insisted on sending a care package my way. As a single person, I was touched by her thoughtfulness, and she helped me feel less alone in an isolating experience. That afternoon, I sat in bed surrounded by tubs of soup, fresh bread, flowers, a sweet treat, and a very heartfelt letter.
I have countless instances where parents seize the opportunity to be generous with me and express their gratitude. It is those messages that I revisit on the hard days. I don’t live in the city of Falls Church, but the families I have had the opportunity to work with have made me feel like a valued community member. Thank you to those families for supporting me in taking chances with my teaching, encouraging me along the way, and trusting me with the development of your children. Words are powerful, and you help me feel empowered to be an effective and well-received teacher.
The children are the core of my work and will always make Falls Church City public schools special. I chose a career in education because I love the sense of wonder, excitement for learning, and unshakable sense of belonging that young children possess. Each year, the students in my class come up with a name for their team and through the year I work to develop their understanding of team dynamics. This includes fostering their sense of inclusion, responsibility, communication, trust, and a better understanding of how to disagree. We look out for one another and work to understand each other’s differences. I hope that the students I work with can continue learning and supporting each other for years to come.
Memorable moments with young students occur each and every day. I have felt their love and appreciation each year in unique ways. While I could share countless stories about my amazing experience working with the children of Falls Church, I will share one that caught me by surprise. It was 2021 and the last day of school.
As a district, we were emerging from a year of hybrid and distance learning. I had spent a significant amount of time questioning how effective I had been with what the world was going through and the learning experience I had provided. After an exhaustive year, the classroom team and I had rearranged the room to prepare for summer break and a celebratory movie send-off.
Before the movie started, the team asked me to go out in the hallway and announced they had a surprise for me. A moment later, the sweet group of 2nd graders led me back to the class. Masked and distanced, they sat in a big circle around me, sharing a secret slide deck they had prepared just for me. The deck had a slide for each student who had written me a short letter, shared a highlight from the school year, and included a photo of each. It took all my strength not to cry at that moment. That group made me feel an outpouring of love for our year together and I knew things would be just fine. We had done our jobs of teaching and learning to the best of our ability.
I would be remiss not to mention Dr. Peter Noonan in the summation of my net positive experience with FCCPS. I come from generations of educators and am the first to feel comfortable contacting my superintendent directly. Dr. Noonan has worked hard to navigate the community through a global pandemic, transition entire grades across the city’s schools, and keep up with the ever-growing demands of public education. He has done so with the unfailing support of his staff. After my 3rd year of teaching, I requested that Dr. Noonan and I have a meeting.
He was open to the idea and valued listening to my reflections about my time at FCCPS. Dr. Noonan was receptive to feedback about the district and honest about his vision for the school system’s future. He told me not to wait another 3 years to meet again. I do not know of another district with a superintendent who balances being personable and professional. Dr. Noonan has made me feel seen and valued each year as a classroom teacher. While I never seized the opportunity to meet again, I am happy to be writing about my time with FCCPS at his request now. I will miss him greatly. I hope our new leader will also value open communication with their staff, responsiveness, and advocacy for the district to be a leader in staff compensation.
Perhaps what “makes us stand apart from the others” is something intangible but simple: acknowledging and accepting that we are all human. FCCPS is not a cog of an education machine, we are not a data centered entity, we are not going to get it right 100% of the time and that is a beautiful thing. FCCPS is in the business of educating and nurturing the next generation of humans. By working together, we form an imperfect team of professionals, community members, and children who learn about our potential and push each other to grow unexpectedly. It is my honor and privilege to continue my life journey as a member of the Falls Church City Public Schools community. I hope that as a reader, you understand that no matter where life may take you, you can bring a bit of the FCCPS “special sauce” anywhere with you by going with grace, looking for ways to support those around you, and striving for continual growth.
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