Working in Loudoun County Public Schools for 22 years, Mrs. Stevens has been part of all sectors of education in her career. She has worked as a Special Education teacher, third grade teacher, a math specialist, a dean and now, she is the new Assistant Principal at Briar Woods.
Growing up in Somerfield, a small town in western Pennsylvania, Mrs. Stevens did not always want to be in the field of education. Her original career plan was to go into the field of nutrition. But after taking a class, she realized some of the realities of going in that direction. She looked to her best friend, to see what she should do next. Her friend told her that she should try teaching. She also played soccer in high school and would get to play it in college as well. She would attend the California University of Pennsylvania and attain her degree in special education.
“I don’t think there are a lot of differences,” she claims when speaking about the difference between working with kids in special education compared to other students she would work with. Working in special education would let her help every student individually and find their struggles and the solutions that would aid her in determining how the student would learn best.
In her career, She has worked with nearly every level of education. Working in elementary, middle and high school. The maturity levels of each level are very different, but the one common factor is the appreciation for the connections made with the students.
“A place kids want to be at, positive culture and high achieving” are all ways that Mrs. Stevens described Briar Woods before she became part of the Briar Woods family. She cited Briar Woods dedication to curriculums such as theater, sports and the tremendous clubs available to students. In the short time she has been affiliated with Briar Woods she has attended every football game and seen the band as much as possible, attributing her enjoyment of the band to her past as a trumpet player in high school.
As an AP, she connects and communicates with parents every day. Another vital part of her position is the chance to support teachers. Her new position is a direct opposite of her previous work in education. Her previous work empowered a connection with students in a similar way to how she worked with the special education students. Being able to connect and work with students is something that she misses immensely. But her belief is that Interacting with parents grants her another chance to advocate for students and help them out but in a different way.
Her life does not begin and end with school though; outside of school she enjoys playing board games, exercising, reading, and still plays soccer on an adult team. She loves cooking, but her love is elevated around the winter where she especially enjoys cooking things like soup and pasta. Exercising is essential in her everyday life, and in Virginia, her love for exercise can extend to hiking, where there are hiking spots a plenty around Virginia and the states surrounding it. Her favorite hiking spot would be North Carolina’s Ravens Rock national park.
It has been a great transition into the Briar Woods community for Mrs. Stevens; She is happy to be at a school with such great students and staff. She looks forward to meeting students over the year and making Briar Woods an even better place.
