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First-Day Jitters Are A Thing Of The Past

Tribune photo by ROBERT BURKE

Five-year-old Alexis Garcia, left, finds the proper letter for teacher Hillary Koontz while learning the alphabet. Koontz started teaching at the new Reddick Elementary School in Wimauma on Aug. 18 after graduating from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, in May.

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By LOIS KINDLE

lkindle@tampatrib.com

Published: November 12, 2008

WIMAUMA - Like her tiny students, Hillary Koontz, 22, started school three months ago for the first time. And, like them, the new teacher had some adjustments to make.

"The first day was chaotic and very stressful, but I think it's like that for any teacher, especially in kindergarten, because it's the children's first experience with school," she said. "All they want to do is play with everything."

Koontz began her teaching career with a classroom of 5-year-olds, 22 of them.

"Two of them spoke no English, and I don't speak Spanish," she said. "One little girl wouldn't stop crying.

"But every day, things get better. The children have bonded with me; they understand my expectations and they have learned the rules."

After visiting Tampa in January, Koontz decided immediately to relocate to Florida from Ohio, where she was born and raised. Nearing graduation from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, she sent a resume to J. Roth, principal of Apollo Beach Elementary School at the time.

"I always wanted to live in Florida," Koontz said. "I'd been visiting my grandparents in Boynton Beach since I was a child. I love the weather and the relaxed atmosphere here."

During spring break, she stopped in to see Roth and was hired to teach at Reddick Elementary, a new school in Wimauma where Roth had been transferred. Then, after graduation, she moved to Brandon to begin her teaching career in August.

"At first, I was scared," she said. "But I love it now. Every day is different. I never know what to expect from my students.

"It's everything and more than I expected."

Koontz, who worked in a day care facility during college, said she likes working with "little ones."

"I was inspired to go into teaching by Mrs. Calcagni, my former kindergarten teacher, and by my father, who still teaches eighth-grade math," she said. "And I have many others in my family who taught school."

Koontz team-teaches with Shannon Costello, a 12-year veteran.

"Hillary is doing very well," Costello said. "She's organized, efficient and very good with kids. She's laid back, and you can tell she loves her students."

EDITOR'S NOTE

This is the first in a series of stories following Hillary Koontz's first year as a teacher.

GET TO KNOW

WHO: Hillary Koontz

WHAT: kindergarten teacher

WHERE: Reddick Elementary School in Wimauma

BORN: Youngstown, Ohio

AGE: 22

EDUCATION: Graduated in May with a bachelor's in early childhood education from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio

PERSONAL: Single, lives in Brandon

Reporter Lois Kindle can be reached at (813) 865-1553. To see more photos showing Hillary Koontz teaching her charges, go to southshore.tbo.com.

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