I can think of a couple of teachers who were just kind to me when I appeared to be having a bad day.  Just that little extra kindness seemed to make things seem not so bad.

I know a teacher who is today doing just that for our children. Tonia Bond is and will continue to be that kind of teacher. She is really concerned about our children/her students. Her main purpose as a second grade teacher is to ensure that the future generations succeed in life. 

Just making sure that they know all that they need to know for a successful base of knowledge is tough enough.  Add to that hard task the caring about each student as a human being.  It’s really difficult not to bring home the problems of her students at the end of each day, especially on the difficult ones.  But she does it because she is concerned about our children.

In this day and age it’s not always easy to find friendly or caring people because no one thinks they have the time to slow down just for the second it takes to be kind but for the children we must slow down.  Tonia does that for her Courtland Elementary 2nd grade class.  She has been teaching there for 3 years and really enjoys making a difference by giving them something to continue to build on.

When asked what the students can do to help themselves, besides being good listeners, Tonia responds by saying they can practice what they have been taught in school.  But the main responsibility still rests with the parents.  It would be so helpful to teachers if all parents asked what their child’s day was like and ensure that their homework is completed every day.

What about all the growth that Spotsylvania is undergoing right now? She feels they’ll be growing pains but she is concerned about the students.  The higher the student ratio goes the thinner she has to spread herself between her students.  That means that the students who really need it don’t necessarily get all the help they need.

And that is a large concern because so much emphasis has been put on the SOL (Standards of Learning Test).  The first SOL is given in the 3rd grade.  That is something that’s really important to the County/ State as it helps parents know how their school is doing and how much funding the county will receive.

Some school systems offer a bonus but Spotsylvania County is not one of those as they have a difficult time just offering a competitive salary to keep their excellent teachers on staff.

Will things get better any time soon?  She is hopeful and doubtful at the same time.  She believes that Sue Burgess, the Superintendent is doing the best that she can to fight for the county schools and it’s teachers.  But the growth is there and isn’t showing signs of slowing soon.

Does Tonia still plan to stick with Spotsylvania and Courtland?  Yep, she’s planning on sitting tight for the time being.

Next time you’re at Courtland Elementary pop in and say hey to her.  Even better tell a teacher how much you appreciate what they’re doing for your child (ren).

Editors note: We are always looking for people to feature in our People of Fredericksburg section of SimplyFredericksburg. If you know someone that would make a great person to feature, please contact us here