Educator of the Week: Laura Moffitt-Smith | Jordan-Matthews High School

Posted
Updated:

Grades/subjects you teach: Basic life skills

Date, place of birth: January 10, Chatham County

Education: 1986 graduate of Jordan-Matthews High School; associate degree from Central Carolina Community College; certified tax preparer

Brief work history: I was a certified nursing assistant many years before I started working at Jordan-Matthews as a part-time bus driver/teacher assistant in 1995. I became a full-time employee of Chatham County Schools in 1998. I’ve been in my current position as an exceptional children instructional assistant for over 15 years, and I enjoy it.

Honors/awards: I have been nominated Bus Driver of the Year and Instructional Assistant of the Year many times throughout my many years of employment at Jordan-Matthews High School.

Hobbies/interests outside of educating: Spending time with family and friends and at church; attending my grandkids’ sports activities; going to the movies.

Family: married with two daughters; two grandkids.

What led you to a career in education? Always had a passion to work with the elderly and special-needs kids.

Has becoming an educator been all you expected it would be? Yes.

How has education changed since you were a student? Definitely more challenging.

What “makes your day” as an educator? I get to joy seeing each kid’s smiling face every morning knowing that I’ve helped make a positive difference in their lives.

If one of your students was asked for a one-word description of you by a student who hadn’t had you as an educator, what would that one word be? Loving.

Favorite movie about school or education: “Front of the Class” (It’s the life story of a kid with Tourette syndrome growing up and becoming a gifted teacher.)

What’s special about your school? We have a real sense of family here at Jordan-Matthews High School.

Moffitt-Smith

Moffitt-Smith