I’ve known since a very young age that I wanted to be a teacher. I remember playing school with imaginary students in my play room growing up; planning lessons I was going to teach, handing out worksheets, and writing students names on the board to give them stars for “good behavior” and check marks for “bad behavior” (thankfully, my college education taught me better ways to reinforce expected behaviors in the classroom!). After I graduated college, I taught for seven years in public schools, and while it felt like a dream come true to finally have a class and students of my own, I quickly felt the very real struggles of a teacher in our public education system. The lack of support for students, families, staff and teachers was evident. As much as I tried to give my students everything they needed and deserved, it always felt like I was coming up short. After years of putting immense pressure on myself, I realized that I could not support my students if I was not receiving support myself. I made the seemingly impossible decision to leave the school, families, and students that I loved so dearly. At that point, I was burnt out and contemplating my place in the education system as a whole.
That summer, I remember having a conversation with Danielle. She reassured me that Chartwell was different and encouraged me to come and see for myself. To give it just one year. Now, here we are four years later, I am still here, and could not be happier. Chartwell is an incredibly unique and special place for teachers, staff, students and families. In this community, there truly is a place for everyone. There is a culture of care and mutual respect for one another. If something is needed, you can guarantee that a group of people is not far behind, rallying around to provide support. And I believe that the sense of community, culture, love and support we all feel here is a true testament of Danielle’s vision for Chartwell, and the leadership she has provided throughout her time here.
While it seems impossible to imagine Chartwell without Danielle, I have hope that everything she has instilled in us as a team and all of the energy she has put into creating this incredible community will continue on in her absence.
Danielle, I cannot thank you enough for reigniting my passion for teaching and for creating a space that is safe for everyone to take risks, learn and grow.