When Cathleen Hall accepted a hard-to-fill special-education teaching position in the Tucson Unified School District in January, the odds were not in her favor.
The California transplant came in midyear, taking over a classroom at Doolen Middle School that made its way through a string of substitute teachers over the fall semester.
“Not having that stability was really tough on the kids,” said TUSD spokeswoman Stefanie Boe. “She definitely faced some challenges, especially since she was starting from scratch.”
And while she was new to Arizona, Hall was not unfamiliar with budget constraints plaguing schools across the country.
None of that deterred her, however, as she immediately threw herself into her work at the north-side school.
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“When she arrived, the first thing she did was paint her room so that the children had a beautiful classroom to come to,” said Doolen Principal Renée Morales. “She went to work right away setting up structures for success.”
Described as a “whatever it takes” teacher, Hall not only went out of her way for students, but also worked to support her colleagues, using her previous years of experience to mentor those new to the field, Morales said.
But as Hall stepped into her classroom Wednesday morning, the tables were turned as she was showered with the same kind of attention she has bestowed on others.
Students and fellow staff members crowded in to watch as Hall was surprised with a gift card from Walmart and a goody bag with back-to-school necessities for going above and beyond. The gift card is worth $513 — the average amount teachers spent out-of-pocket on classroom supplies in 2014, a study found.
“At Walmart we know that being a teacher is hard work,” said Walmart store manager Carlos Lomeli. “We know you give selflessly of your time and energy and sometimes you give out of your pocket as well. … We are here to reward you and thank you.”
Though Hall was appreciative of the money, which she will use to purchase snacks, composition notebooks, markers and other supplies for her classroom, hearing her students fondly describe her as respectful, nice, caring, supportive, and the “best math teacher,” was reward enough.
“The reason I do all of those things is because you guys are amazing and a lot of times you don’t realize how amazing you are,” she told her seventh- and eighth-graders.
The award was sponsored by the Walmart at El Con. Other stores have teamed up with schools in a handful of markets nationally for similar recognitions.
Contact reporter Alexis Huicochea at ahuicochea@tucson.com or 573-4175. On Twitter: @AlexisHuicochea
Alexis Huicochea
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