Jaelynn Funk examines her classroom at Herald School on Thursday, August 29. (Photo by Colton McKee)

By Charles Lefebvre

Back to School

Teachers preparing classrooms for first day of school

Aug 29, 2019 | 5:12 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Teachers in Medicine Hat are putting the finishing touches on their classrooms ahead of the first day of school on Tuesday.

Staff at Herald School have been busy throughout the month, getting classrooms ready, including first-year teacher Jaelynn Funk.

“Words cannot describe how excited I am,” she said. “This is like, I’ve been waiting my whole life to do this. I actually had my practicum at Herald, so I already know the school and stuff, so it’s been a great relationship, and I can’t wait to be started.”

Funk teaches specialized education at Herald School, and is responsible for 10 students.

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“I grew up with amazing teachers that inspired me to be a teacher,” she said. “They were an advocate to me, and I just learned that, that’s what I wanted to do when I grew up. I wanted to be an advocate for kids, like they were to me.”

While renovations to Herald’s School lighting system kept teachers out until August, Funk says they’ve all been hard at work to make sure everything is ready for Tuesday, even before they got into the classroom.

“I was still at home printing things, planning things all summer long, and just recently being able to come in here, spending hours and hours of work,” she said. “I think it’s a real reality check. As teachers, you don’t think they work during the summer, but oh they sure do.”

While running a classroom is one part of being a teacher, feeling like you’re part of a school is another part.

Katrina Corbett, the principal of Herald School, notes first-year teachers receive a mentor for the year, to help them become comfortable in their new school.

“They’ll be connected to ask those curriculum questions, and kind of bounce ideas off of, and then the simple things like, ‘Where’s the photo copier? Where’s the supply room? How do I order this?” she said. “Those connections between teachers are highly important.”

It’s something Funk agrees with.

“To be able to have that person to support on, the person to talk to through all situations, the good and the bad,” she said. “To be able to figure out how to communicate with parents, how to figure out what a student’s best learning style, to be able have someone who has been doing this years and years and years, that’s the experience that I’m lacking as a first year teacher.”

More than 200 students will be entering Herald School on Tuesday, and staff are excited about the day.

“Teachers treat every first day, like it’s their very first day,” said Corbett. “The excitement, the nerves, the anticipation never ever goes away for a teacher.”

“Tuesday can’t come fast enough,” said Funk. “I am ready for the school year and I can’t wait.”