Angie Voulasitis is a mom of two students who have both attended Julia de Burgos Elementary. She has been working with Historic Fair Hill since the start of our school partnership program and provides much needed literacy support to 1st graders in Ms Hart’s class. This year, Angie was promoted to Lead Classroom Literacy Assistant where she is providing additional guidance to and advocating for her fellow literacy assistants.
What does a typical day look like for you in the classroom?
I love to come in and see the kids saying good morning with a big smile. After the kids get settled, we begin literacy work. I focus on reading to them, letter recognition and sounds, nonsense words, and helping students break down the sounds in words. I work with the same 8 students every day so that the learning stays consistent. I love working with the kids, seeing their progress, and seeing them advance.
What do you like about working with 1st graders?
First graders are good listeners and they are open to learning new things. There is an excitement about learning, an excitement about their work with me, and a pride in what they do. I can still really connect with them. As a classroom assistant, I can work with the kids one on one. Some kids struggle in a big group and can’t connect with the material. Small group instruction is a better way for some kids to learn.
What are your hopes for the future?
My hopes for the children I work with are to see them get to the level where they need to be at. Without literacy, you cannot know and learn about the world. Reading and writing helps progress learning. I also hope for more books and gardens for the kids to go to and be able to learn even more. Personally, I would like to get my GED and continue my education to become a teacher. I love working with kids.
What do you like about working with Historic Fair Hill?
I love working with wonderful people who feel like family. We are a community and I feel supported by that community.
Angie & Ms Hart first connected when Angie’s daughter, now in high school, was in her 1st grade class. After getting to know Angie as a parent, Ms Hart recommended her to our Classroom Literacy Assistant program and they have been working together ever since to support their students. Ms Hart had the following to share about their partnership:
Angie’s strength is that she is able to connect with each student. She always makes sure she spends a few moments talking with the student before they begin instruction. She develops a close relationship with the parents, which allows them to feel comfortable. One thing that makes Angie special is that it is clear she loves the students. Even years after they have left our classroom, she will stop them in the hall and check in with them, asking how their classes are going, how their behavior has been. Previous students often will stop her in the hallway to say hi.
Angie is able to pull students and work with them 1 to 1 while I’m teaching the whole group. She looks at the students’ data with me and we identify what each student needs. Angie then works with the students who need the most individualized attention, whether it be reviewing skills already taught or translating text or work on comprehension. The students most benefit from her consistency and show great improvement.
Though this may allow you to understand the great addition Angie is to our school community, I don’t think it captures her worth. Yes, Angie does all that I listed above, but so much more. Like any teacher, Angie is usually doing three things at once. She may be working 1 on 1 with a student, while she is helping another student sign on to their computer, and then instantly stopping to tend to a student who has a bathroom emergency. Angie is a blessing for our school community and we are lucky to have her.
