The Teacher Feature
Coach Hile is a physical education teacher at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. If you ask somebody who they love spending time at school, you’ll probably most likely get Coach Hile as a response. She takes time to help her students, making sure they get the unit and helping them in difficult situations. Hile has thirteen years of experience and has coach many teams throughout her career. This thoughtful coach helps several people grow not just physically, but also in bravery and courage. She is not just a physical education teacher but also a loving coach for several people. Hile is the head coach for high school girls varsity soccer. She also coaches United Capital City Athletic and coaches her twin daughters on the 2015 Navy soccer team. On the flip side of soccer, Coach Hile coached middle school basketball for ten years.
I asked Coach Hile if there was something in her childhood that led to her career. She responded with: “I am a proud product of the Jefferson City School District and I always wanted to give back to the community that raised me. I had so many impactful teachers and coaches throughout my educational journey that I always told myself, “I want to be just like them and make a difference.” What better way to make a difference than become a teacher?” Coach Hile’s favorite unit to teach is Archery and the Spin Bike Unit. She claims it was because “Both of these units allow the students to find success no matter how athletic you are. Seeing them thrive and the joy on their faces makes me smile!”
Coach Hile says that her favorite part of teaching physical education is “The kids. I love building positive relationships with all the students and interacting with them daily. I also love watching them grow not just athletically, but in their confidence, teamwork, and willingness to step outside their comfort zones. I love watching them discover their strengths, try new skills, and realize they’re capable of more than they thought.” Along with fun experiences come challenges. Hile claims that “One of the hardest challenges for me as a PE teacher is meeting the needs of students with very different skill levels, comfort levels, and attitudes toward physical education all at the same time. I want every student to feel successful and included, so balancing competitive, athletic students with those who may be hesitant or less confident can be tricky.”
Life Behind the Whistle:
The Inside Scoop on Coach Hile’s Life
Coach Hile is an amazing coach that can balance toughness, challenge, attitude, and anything else people throw at her. She has helped many kids thrive, even when they did not want to participate or interact. Along with those miraculous achievements come reward and praise. I asked Coach Hile what it felt like being teacher of the year. She responded with: “Winning teacher of the year was such a meaningful and humbling experience. It is something that I will always remember and hold near and dear to my heart. The coolest thing about it was when the building did a parade for me and I got to walk the hallways and be showered with signs, hugs, praise, love, etc. Although my name was the winner, teaching takes a village and I would not be who I am today without all of my students, colleagues, and administrators. I am living out a greater purpose than myself and I am so thankful to have the best job in the world every single day!”
You might know Mrs. Ward as the sixth grade reading teacher, but do you know her life outside the classroom?
Mrs. Ward is the Thomas Jefferson cheerleading coach. She has been the coach since 2019. “For most people cheerleading is new,” Mrs. Ward explains, “so I get to teach them all of the foundations.”
Different teachers like different parts of teaching. In Mrs.Ward's opinion, “The best part of teaching is when the students get really engaged in the lesson and have an authentic discussion.” But there are also bad things about teaching, too. “When there are several interruptions in the classroom,” she explains, “like phones, kids, or any other teachers,” teaching isn’t as great.
Some of Mrs. Ward’s favorite hobbies are reading, traveling, performing in theater, and hanging out with her family. She might even have some things in common with you. What a great conversation starter!
Kind, adaptable, and patient are three words that Mrs. Ward would use to describe herself. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling people would agree! Her favorite movies and TV shows are Gossip Girl, narrated by an anonymous blogger whose name is the famous Gossip Girl, revolving around the lives of young, soon to be adults in an upper class lifestyle. Also Stand By Me, about four boys from Oregon who learn that an accidental murder has happened in their home. They decide to go check it out. On the way, they see a cruel man, and walk through a marsh with leeches in it. Watch the movie to find out more.
Mrs. Ward's life outside of school is a bit crazy and time consuming. She is in graduate school to become a school counselor and has two classes a week and homework most nights. Mrs. Ward works during the weekend. She admits, “Taking care of my six month old son also takes a lot of time and energy!”
Would you want to go to an overwater bungalow in the Maldives? It sounds fun! Mrs. Ward's dream vacation is there, too!
Mrs. Ward is super close with her mother. They take vacations together once a year. Mrs. Ward's favorite vacation with her mom was in Greece and Ireland. “One cool thing I saw in Ireland was the Cliffs of Moher. In Greece, I saw a lot of cool landmarks, like the Parthenon.” She has an older brother who lives in Kansas City that has a little boy of his own. “I like to eat dinner with my family at least once a week at Arris' Pizza and G & D Steakhouse in Columbia.”
And now you know what Mrs. Ward is like outside of the classroom.