It’s always exciting when we get a new teacher at St. Philips. It’s a fun and exciting change of pace and the chance to meet someone new. For some, it may even be a little nerve racking. What if this new teacher is mean? What if they’re really strict? What if they assign more homework? So it must have been such a relief for many students to see that we got when one of the best teachers in the world, Mrs. Ventress. It has been such an honor to have her at our school so far. Here you can learn all about her, her likes, dislikes, things she connects with. 

Interviewer: “Out of all of the jobs in the world, why did you decide to teach?” 

Mrs. Ventress: “Teaching just came naturally to me. I took care of my daughter and nephew throughout their childhood and I just knew that I loved kids and watching them grow. When I went back to school, I went into child development.”

Interviewer: “How has your transition been to this school?” 

Mrs. Ventress: “The transition has been interesting. I came from a very small school with a very small faculty and staff and it makes this school seem very large. It’s definitely been an adjustment.” 

Interviewer: “What was the first school that you taught at?”

Mrs. Ventress: “I first taught at a preschool in Alhambra, so I was in early education working with 2 and a half through 5 year olds. Because I am the product of a Catholic school, I always went into teaching with the intention of coming back to a Catholic school environment. My first job teaching for a Catholic school was teaching TK for 4 years, then I transitioned to Kindergarten for 8 years, then I taught a first and second grade combo for 1 year. I have been teaching for 22 years in total.” 

Interviewer: “How do you show your school spirit?”

Mrs. Ventress: I show my school spirit by trying to be my most authentic self with my students. I try to make my classroom a fun environment where students feel safe. I think it is important for students to have fun and laugh at school. I also try to provide them with the opportunity to explore their own personal interests”

Interviewer: “Do you have any children?”

Mrs. Ventress: “I have 1 daughter who is 34 years old.”

Interviewer: “A lot of people mention how much they love the community here at St. Philip. What is your favorite part about the community here?

Mrs. Ventress: “My favorite part of the community here is that it is so diverse. I truly loved this school from the first time I visited and knew I wanted to teach here. 

Interviewer: “What is your favorite part of teaching?”

Mrs. Ventress: “My favorite part of teaching is watching the students grow and seeing their progress. I also love it when I can see that a child has genuine enthusiasm for learning.”

Interviewer: “What is your favorite color and why?”

Mrs. Ventress: “My favorite color is red. I always find myself gravitating towards that color as I find myself buying red shoes, red purses, and I drive a red car. I think it’s perfect that I teach at this school because our school color is red.”

Interviewer: “What is your favorite animal and why?” 

Mrs. Ventress: “Dogs are definitely my favorite animal, I have three of them. I have raised several dogs throughout my life, but currently my dogs’ names are Molly, Josie, and Olive. I love their loyalty and their true love for their families and how they show their loyalty to their families in all of their actions. I love how they lick your face and cuddle you. Dogs are just very special.”

Interviewer: “What is your favorite hobby or pastime?”

Mrs. Ventress: “I love working with paper. I love making cards, and art journals. Whether it’s cutting things out, stamping things, working with watercolor, I love to do it.” 

Interviewer: “How would you describe yourself and do you think that this aligns with what others would say?”

Mrs. Ventress: “I would describe myself as being genuine and authentic. I always try to show my true self with everyone, especially my students.”

Interviewer: “What is your favorite quality about yourself?”

Mrs. Ventress: “I love that I am very accepting of others. I always try to never judge a book by their cover and understand where people are coming from.” 

Mrs. Ventress, in the short time she has been here, has already cultivated a very special relationship with her students that could last a lifetime. She understands the importance of having a true connection with students, making them feel safe in their learning environment and allowing them to explore their true interests and express themselves so that they may grow into the wonderful people they were always meant to be.