Not only are we excited to be reopening our doors to all our students, staff, and faculty  next week, we are excited to welcome back two DS alumni to join the team! Anna & Ansley (both class of 2009!), return not just as DS alumni and educators, but as best friends.  We love their energy, unique personalities, and we are so thrilled to offer our students their teaching experience and Doane Stuart history to our 2020-2021 school year! Want to know more about both … check out this quick Q&A! 

What are you teaching this year?

Anna: I will be teaching third grade!

Ansley: I will be teaching fifth-grade math, seventh-grade science, and eighth & ninth grade math. 

How did your own DS education prepare you for college and your work experiences after graduation?

Anna: My Doane Stuart education taught me to believe in my own abilities and express myself confidently. Once I became a teacher, my memories of the Doane Stuart teachers who taught me have served as role models for how I interact with my students.  

Ansley: I had wonderful teachers that fostered a genuine love for learning. Upon graduation, I was confident and prepared for the rigors of college. Additionally, Doane Stuart opened doors that led to many opportunities. As a high school student, I was able to spend some time in the early childhood program during my free periods. This solidified my decision to become an educator.

What brought you back? 

Anna: I became aware of the opportunity to teach third grade and the thought of “coming home” was difficult to resist. 

Ansley:  Doane Stuart is such an amazingly unique place. The community and school pride does not compare to any other school I have been to. When I learned of the opportunity to return as an educator, I jumped at the chance to be part of this special place once again!

What is your favorite DS memory?

 Anna: Having spent 13 years of my life as a Doane Stuart student, it is nearly impossible to select just one favorite memory. When I reflect on my childhood years, Doane Stuart was there through it all. If I had to summarize all of my favorite memories into one word…it would be “home.” 

Ansley: From the start, the Doane Stuart community was welcoming and accepting. I have so many wonderful memories from my time as a student, it is hard to pick just one! Blue/Green competitions and Conǵe were memorable activities involving the entire community. My earliest memory from Doane Stuart is running between two lines of my peers cheering for me to pick my team color from the blue/green hat!

What do you hope to bring from your own DS experience to teach/impart on your own classrooms?

Anna: As a student at Doane Stuart, I was in an environment that adapted to my individual needs. I always felt that I was a priority and felt safe, nurtured, and respected. I will create the same engaging learning environment for my students where they can also grow socially and emotionally.

Ansley: As a student, the teachers challenged us and taught us to think outside of the box often using real-life scenarios to illustrate their point. I hope to develop a comfortable learning environment which is exciting and provides a challenge for students to excel. I hope to instill the love of learning in my students, as it was instilled in me.

What team are you on?

 Anna: I am a proud member of the Blue Team, however, that was not always the case. When the day came for me to be assigned to a team, I was hoping to be on the Green Team since my two older siblings were both members of the Green Team. I am pretty sure I cried when I found out I was on the Blue Team, mostly because I did not like the idea of “competing” against my siblings. After some tears, I got over the disappointment (keep in mind…I was around 7 years old). In the end, I am happy that I ended up on the Blue Team because it taught me the value of friendly competition.

Ansley: BLUE