Patch Q & A with Gail Hotze and Cheryl Miller

Patch followed up with new Mark Twain Elementary staff members Gail Hotze, the new 5th grade teacher, and Cheryl Miller, new school counselor, for an in-depth interview about their past experiences and future at Mark Twain.

Gail Hotze

Patch: First off, how does it feel to be a part of the Brentwood School District?

Hotze: It's exciting - a little bit overwhelming, but I'm ready for the challenge.

Patch: What drew you to want to work at Mark Twain?

Hotze: I had been teaching in the city for a long time, and was looking for a new district to call home. Then last year when I first entered the Mark Twain building, I knew that I could be a part of this family - it was just a feeling that I had.

Patch: What are you most excited about, now that you've been hired?

Hotze: Just to get going on the curriculum. I can't wait for the new school year to start.

Patch: I know you come with five years of experience teaching 4th and 5th grade at Imagine Academy. Can you tell me some more about your background?

Hotze: I grew up in a really small town in central Illinois. I have one brother and five sisters, plus twelve nieces and nephews, so I've always been surrounded by kids. I started baby-sitting when I was 12, then went into daycare for a while. I was a nanny when I first moved to St. Louis, but knew I wanted to be a teacher. It took me a while to get there, but now I would never take it back for anything. I love working with children in this atmosphere. 

Patch: What's the most important aspect of teaching, in your opinion? 

Hotze: Everyday is different - it's never going to be the same, so you have to be able to adapt.

Patch: What do you love about it?

Hotze: Watching the students grow from the beginning of the year to the end. It's amazing to see how much you've taught them and how much they've learned, plus you build a rapport with them. It's such a good feeling to see results, because they are our future.

Patch: At Imagine Academy you were also a Title I teacher for a year, serving as their reading specialist. What was that like, and why not continue as a Title I teacher?

Hotze: I worked with about 60 kids a day, in small groups for about 30 minutes each. I don't want to burn out as a teacher, which is why I wanted to come to Mark Twain where I could work with smaller classroom sizes and still have room to grow as an educator.

Patch: What challenges do you foresee, if any, going into this new position, and how will you address them if needed?

Hotze: The Brentwood school district is a completely different district than what I'm used to, so I am nervous, but at the same time I'm ready to venture out and make a difference here. Everybody's been so great - Karen Smith is phenomenal, and the teachers have been very friendly. They have made a point of making sure I have access to many resources, so I know it will be OK.

Cheryl Miller

Patch: How does it feel to be a part of the Brentwood school district now?

Miller:  I feel very proud to be part of this team, but I also feel a little guilty because I get to ride the wave of all the great things they've already done here.

Patch: What drew you to want to work at Mark Twain?

Miller: I wanted to be here because of aspects like it being a National School of Character. They have a good, strong leader and everybody is on the same page. I love the small feel of the school, and everybody takes a part in it, even the kids.

Patch: What are you most excited about, now that you've been hired?

Miller: My last job took me away from the children because it was such a big district, so I'm looking forward to reconnecting to students in that way.

Patch: I know you worked in the Wentzville school district for 17 years. Can you tell me some more about your background?

Miller: I worked in early childhood development for awhile, as well as teaching K, 1st and 4th grade. I've also taught college mentoring for student teachers. I always really wanted to get into counseling but had to wait for the right time to go back to school, as I have a family. Finally the time became right and I was able to get my master's degree, and was the counselor at Green Tree Elementary for five years.

Patch: What's the most important aspect of being a school counselor, in your opinion?

Miller: I feel that I am a child advocate, and it's really important to me to be able to assist both parents and children alike.

Patch: What do you love about it?

Miller: I just really love the interpersonal relationships with the kids. 

Patch: While working in the Wentzville district, you also worked with Parents as Teachers. Can you tell me a little more about that?

Miller: That was very important work for me, and was a major influence in my initial interest in counseling. I was able to do in-home visits and realize what an important role a family plays in a child's life. I saw first-hand how kids really start learning at home from birth, and how parents know their child better than anybody.

Patch: What challenges do you foresee, if any, going into this new position, and how will you address them if needed?

Miller: What I'd like to do is be a really good listener. The challenges will be to get to know everybody's name and to know all the families well, so that they feel they can trust me. It's already a well-oiled machine here, so I want to be able to maintain the status quo. Luckily everyone here has been very helpful already. I think all the pieces of who you are come together to help you be where you want to be, so with this job I feel like I've finally arrived.