May 2020 Teacher of the Month

The St. Monica Academic Excellence Committee is pleased to announce Paige Cory as May’s Teacher of the Month.
Ms. Cory is a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin and completed a Master’s degree from SMU. She is from Duncanville, TX. In 2019, we were blessed to have her join our faculty. During her first year at SMS, Ms. Cory has developed many creative lesson plans to keep her students engaged and make learning effortless. She tailors her instruction to fit each child’s pace and specific needs while always considering their confidence and self-esteem. Besides challenging students academically, Ms. Cory also works diligently to create a classroom environment that fosters acceptance, kindness, relationship building. As one parent stated, “ She is not just teaching our children about English and literature. She is teaching them how to be better versions of themselves.”
 
It is obvious that Ms. Cory spends many hours outside of school hours thinking about her students. Over Christmas, each student received beautiful letters highlighting his or her value in the classroom. She takes the time to send personal notes to parents regarding the intelligent, kind, or merely humorous comments their children make. Ms. Cory spends her weekends supporting her students at their soccer, basketball, or other extra-curricular events. During this difficult time away from school, Ms. Cory has gone above-and-beyond to extend her classroom to each of her students’ houses. Her use of technology is very impressive, and she makes it easy for students to understand new material. Ms. Cory holds daily Zoom meetings, warms up students with brainteasers, and incorporates creative mini activities to facilitate a love for learning. She responds to uploaded homework with words of encouragement and positive feedback. One parent commented, “ Ms. Cory has been a lifesaver through this process and pandemic in holding her homeroom class together!”
 
Simply put, “ Ms. Cory is a wonderful example of a servant leader and has blessed us with her vocation to guide and inspire.” She focuses on students’ strengths to improve their weaknesses, challenges children to think in new and imaginative ways, and instills greater confidence and voice in each pupil. Many parents have noticed academic, social, and emotional transformations in their children left in Ms. Cory’s care. Although we wish we could celebrate Ms. Cory’s achievements together as a school community, this pandemic reminds us to cherish the heroes in our lives. Ms. Cory is a hero to all her 5 ^th grade students and their parents who are so grateful for her joy of teaching and remarkable talents.