Valerie Orza

My personal and professional experiences are closely related and, for the most part, all lead back to the field of education. After being a stay-at-home mother for seven years, my first educational experience outside of the college classroom was as a classroom volunteer in my son’s second grade classroom. I then obtained my substitute teacher license and began subbing on a daily basis at Norwood City Schools. This was when I truly began managing my own classrooms, conducting lesson plans, and learning all about the profession of teaching. I was then offered a position as a 1:1 student aide for a student with visual impairments. I was tasked with modifying assignments, collaborating with the intervention specialist and related service providers, and reporting progress to the student’s parents. When a position opened up unexpectedly on the Norwood City Schools Board of Education, one of the board members contacted me and asked if I would be interested in applying for the position. This gave me a more vital role in making important decisions for an entire district. It also showed me some of the behind the scenes work that goes on, such as budgeting and voting on district policies. I was quickly voted to be the Vice President and then Vice-President. This role has enabled me to again form positive relations between the community and schools. Having served at a pivotal time for the district, I regard my best accomplishment as the appointment of the current superintendent. I have held many different positions over the last five years, but the one that has shaped me most is being a fourth grade teacher at Immaculate Conception Academy, a private Classical Latin school. I have leaned on my knowledge from previous experience to drive my instruction. In this setting, teachers are required to use traditional methods of teaching. This often stringent approach to education requires unique strategies to engage students while staying true to the methodology. Each day presents new opportunities to create engaging lesson plans that focus on cross curricular instruction. Because we are a small school, teachers wear many hats. In addition to being the middle grade English teacher, I also am in charge of the choir program and the theater program. I am also the Grammar School Prefect.