Ms. Deondra Johnson feels right at home with her Special Education students at Lutcher High School. She has been teaching for 15 years, three of them here in St. James Parish Schools.
Ms. Johnson says her favorite part of the job is building relationships with the students. She says, “If you’ve built a successful relationship, then you’ve earned their respect.” She says this leads straight to success.
“You cannot reach the mind until you teach to the heart.”
Ms. Johnson’s relationships with other educational personnel brought her here to St. James Parish Schools, but she says that the community and school are now her home. Originally from Kansas, Ms. Johnson mentions having worked in several school systems before landing here in SJPS. She says that when she is here, she feels like she is home. She says what sets SJPS apart from others is how our families are so important because they keep coming back. “You establish these relationships not only with students but with parents as well, and they will have your back,” says Ms. Johnson.
Ms. Johnson has some advice for new teachers. She says, “the change starts within you.” As teachers we need to be passionate about making changes for our students. Ms. Johnson mentions her students having graduated, moved on to college, and how they are still sending her pictures of their new lives. “They don’t forget about you,” she says.