Amy Simonds
Position: First Grade Teacher
School: Pocopson Elementary School
School District: Unionville-Chadds Ford School District
City, State: West Chester, PA
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Amy Simonds was nominated by the parent of a student, Naomi Bowen.
Mrs. Simonds is the quintessential fairytale elementary teacher. She has the biggest heart and the kindest way with all of her students. She once shared that she could never imagine doing anything other than teaching first grade. This year, she was a rock for Bowen's daughter, the youngest of four, who entered Mrs. Simonds' class as a new student to the district.
"Being a teacher myself and having worked with many excellent teachers over the years, I am amazed by the exceptional amount of effort that Mrs. Simonds devotes to ensuring that the needs of each and every one of her students are met," Bowen said.
Mrs. Simonds is always there for her students, often answering emails late at night and sending frequent reminders using multiple mediums to ensure that her busy parents are aware of their students' needs in her classroom. This general description of Mrs. Simonds can't even begin to illuminate the many little things she does to make each of her children love her and love school. When talking to Mrs. Simonds, you can tell that she truly loves and cares about each of her students. Bowen recalled that on one occasion, upon hearing that Bowen's family adopted a new puppy, Mrs. Simonds, without prompting, went out of her way to get a picture of the puppy and print it so that Bowen's daughter could show the rest of her class and share her excitement.
"This year, my daughter came home happy and excited to share stories from Mrs. Simonds' classroom every single day!" Bowen said.
Mrs. Simonds instills a love for learning and persevering through tough problems, while helping her students learn to value their strengths.
"My daughter is very lucky to have had the experience of learning with Mrs. Simonds in first grade," said Bowen. "I believe that the teaching community has much to learn from the magic Mrs. Simonds creates in her classroom, each and every day."
Mrs.Simonds unselfishly gives of herself to our children. Our children feel her love. Her patience is unbelievable, you can tell she loves her job!
We are very grateful to have Mrs. Simonds as the first grade teacher for our daughter, Olivia. Mrs. Simonds is a very caring teacher and always attentive to students’ individual needs. Olivia is a left hander, while neither myself nor my wife is. We were worried about how she grips the pencil and the paper position while writing, and any potential impact on her eyesight. Mrs. Simonds gave us very detailed suggestions and worked with Olivia in classroom. I can tell she was not only helping Olivia but also accumulating information in case a future student has a similar need. Mrs. Simonds is also very responsive when it comes to parent teacher communication. We are very thankful to all those emails from her, late evening or weekend…, whether it’s about a missing library book or a reminder of the field trip next day….
All 3 of my children were blessed to have Mrs. Simonds for first grade. She remains one of their all-time favorite teachers. I am so grateful that they all had her for such an important year. Being in her first grade class got them off to a wonderful start in elementary school... teaching them to love learning, and thrive in the following years. She goes above and beyond for her students and their families.
Amy was my son's teacher last year. We could not have asked for a better teacher for him! He came home from school each day so excited to share what he learned, and woke each morning eagerly anticipating getting to go to school and learn more. When he had any issues throughout the year Amy was patient with him, kept us informed, and offered different strategies that WORKED. This made a huge difference not only for her in the classroom with him, but also for us at home as a family. She DID change our life! I will be forever grateful to her for providing such a stable foundation for his love of learning and school, and I am truly hopeful that our other children will be lucky enough to have Amy as their teacher as well! We all love her!
As a colleague, I have the opportunity to observe Amy's work habits and interactions with children. Amy is one of the most committed teachers I have ever worked with. She goes above and beyond to consult with other professionals to meet her students needs. She regularly gives her own time to offer students extra help. She works so hard for her students, always with a smile on her face. I am so fortunate to call Amy my co-worker (and friend!)
Both of my daughters were fortunate enough to have Mrs. Simonds as their 1st grade teacher. She is so involved in the whole experience of first grade, inside and outside of school. One particular memory of Mrs. Simonds that stands out is the fact that she would teach my daughter math almost every single morning before school. My daughter had trouble with math and Mrs. Simonds did everything within her capability to make sure that my child was progressing. I can never forget the time and dedication she put in and am forever grateful to her for instilling the math fundamentals in my daughter. She deserves this honor and so much more!
My family is blessed to have two children now as one of Amy's students. My son grew so much as a student and a person in her classroom and now my daughter is following the same suit. My little girl is young for the grade (very) and the strides I have seen her make already this school year brings me such pride and joy that I am not sure that I could have found any other way! Amy not only teaches the fundamentals these children with education, but also as well-rounded, respectful people - no matter their age. More over, she supports not just the kids, but the families and parents as a whole - she was a great support system and cheerleader for our family through a incredibly difficult time in our lives. Our entire family is thrilled to learn of Amy Simonds' nomination! Well deserved!
My son was fortunate to get Mrs. Simonds as his first grade teacher this year. Our son in just these few months with her has started to love school . I see the kids how they adore her and respect her. I am always impressed with her unending enthusiastic personality that filters down to the kids in the room. I am not surprised to learn she was nominated, many of the older kids still say every student should have a Mrs. Simonds.
Mrs. Simonds was my first grade teacher, and I am now a junior in high school. Although most of elementary school is kind of a blur now, one distinct memory I have is of my time in Mrs. Simonds class. I remember loving every second and I remember the passion she put into teaching us. That year in my first grade class, because of Mrs. Simonds, I was able to make three new friends, and those three girls have continued to be three of my closest friends to this day. I cannot think of anybody more deserving of this title than Mrs. Simonds because of the passion she has for her students and the long-lasting impact she has on their lives.
I had Mrs. Simonds 3 years ago. Mrs. Simonds is my favorite teacher. She always had such a great attitude and energy that I would wake every morning excited to go to school. I couldn't wait to see what we were going to do next as she always made learning so much fun! I loved 1st grade and Mrs. Simonds. Now in 4th grade I still go back to visit her and she always greets me with a hug and a smile. Mrs. Simonds is everything a kid could want in a teacher.
I tell people Mrs. Simonds was born with a book in her hands! She is the epitome of a wonderful teacher. My two daughters were lucky enough to have her as their first grade teacher. My oldest learned so much in such a short period of time. She not only learned how to read well, but left first grade with a true appreciation and love for reading. Mrs. Simonds had the ability to reach her every need emotionally, socially and academically. I could not have asked for a better experience! My younger daughter currently has Mrs. Simonds. Amy is fully invested as a classroom teacher and someone who gets to know her students on an individual basis. The parent-teacher communication is amazing! She won't hesitate to respond(or reach out), even if it is 9pm on a Friday night! I am so grateful that my two girls were/are in such good hands at such a critical growth period. Amy is beyond deserving of this award. I am so glad she realized and followed her life calling!
We have been lucky enough to have Mrs. Simonds twice (and still hopefully 2 more times) and couldn’t have been happier. She has such a kind soul and loves each student. All that love doesn’t interfere with how much those kiddos learn as well, first grade is a HUGE adjustment. She does such a good job helping them adjust to life in full day school. Pocopson Elementary School is so lucky to have a teacher like Mrs. Simonds who is so deserving of this honor.
Mrs. Simonds is one of the best teachers! Both my kids were lucky enough to have her. She always made the school day fun for the kids while learning. Both of my children left the school with more self esteem thanks to Mrs Simonds.
This is my first year teaching in first grade and I must say that it has truly been a blessing having Amy Simonds right across the hall. She is always ready to lend a helping hand and has made this transition to a new grade level seamless. I am inspired by Amy's dedication to her students and the classroom. There is no doubt that she puts her students and their needs first. I am grateful to have such wonderful influences surrounding me on a daily basis! Thank you for changing lives every day Amy and for encouraging me to dive into the world of first grade!! I love it!
Mrs. Simonds is a life changing teacher with an immense impact on children's view of school and learning. My son absolutely loved being in her class and never wanted to miss a day! She made school feel like a second home to him and he was so confident in his environment because of the community she created for the students. She's an absolutely wonderful person and teacher. I'm so happy to hear that she has been nominated, there are few as deserving as she is!
Mrs. Simonds is a teacher that children never forget. I was so lucky my daughter Sophia had her as a teacher in first grade. I watched Sophia blossom in her classroom. She takes the time to get to know every one of her students and works with them to develop them to their full potential. Sophia was shy and anxious when entering first grade. By the end of the year, Sophia was confident and speaking up in the classroom, even volunteering to lead. Sophia would talk all the time about the positive comments that Mrs. Simonds said to her throughout the year.
Mrs. Simonds is very well respected by both students and parents. She takes the time to write personal notes to her students, she stands out as one of the most memorable teachers that a child can have. When we talk as a family about the best teachers, Mrs. Simonds is always on the top of the list. She is amazing!
I could go on and on, I was so happy to see she was nominated, this would be a well deserved award for a life changing teacher.
I have four children in the district and my two youngest were lucky enough to get Mrs Simonds. She is definitely one of the best teachers any of my kids have had. To walk out of a Mrs Simonds is one of the great experiences as a parent. Her ability to instill high self esteem in all of her students is amazing. My kids loved going to school when they had here. I can't imagine anyone more deserving of this award.
I have worked with Amy for many years, and she has always had a positive outlook that has been a model for me. My mind seems to be coming up with lots of "p" words that describe Mrs. Simonds: positive, professional, practical, perceptive, persuasive. I think that adds up to almost perfect! What a pleasure it is to work with Amy Simonds.
Mrs. Simone's had my son as a first grader at Pocopson. Our family had just moved to UCFSD from out of state. She really helped to make it a smooth transition. She is a very caring teacher and set the tone for the rest of his school years encouraging him to do his best.
I had the privilege of working with Amy Simonds when she was teaching first grade at Unionville Elementary School. She was always a team player, eager to share ideas and work load with us as colleagues. I was first hand witness to her committed, caring, gentle attention to all her students and especially those kids with special needs. She is not the "showy, look at all the wonderful things I'm doing" teacher that so frequently gets the recognition. She is a genuine, low key, dedicated and hard working teacher who loves her job and her students. It was a joy to work with her and know she was always working in the best interest of her students. She really deserves this commendation.
I have had the wonderful opportunity to be the first grade para-professional working with Amy and experiencing her gifts for being such a patient, caring and loving teacher. Her love for her students shines through her thoroughness and awareness of their needs and the positive attitude that she always exudes. She works hard and is endlessly looking for new and better ways to help her students learn and to make learning fun!
Mrs. Simonds is definitely one of the best teachers out there!! I was lucky enough to teacher next to her for a few wonderful years. She is a shining example of what students need to learn and thrive.
My son was so fortunate to have Mrs. Simonds! He was very young for his grade, and required a lot of extra patience and extra communication. Amy was amazing, and provided just what he needed, and also what I needed as his mom!
