Mrs. LaVondra Albert is a Kindergarten teacher for the St. James Parish Academic, Visual, and Performing Arts Magnet program at Paulina Elementary School. This school year will be her 14th year as an educator, calling St. James Parish Schools home for the last 11 years.
Her tenure in St. James Parish Schools began with the desire to teach the students of her personal community. She and her husband are products of SJPS, and their daughters attend school here as well.
Mrs. Albert says that her favorite part of the job is teaching students how to read while laying the foundation for them to become successful. She says, “it’s amazing to witness how much a student can grow when they know you believe in them!”
For new teachers embarking on a fresh journey in education, Mrs. Albert has three pieces of advice:
1. Recognize that each student is unique; it is up to you to find their strengths and push them to their highest potential.
2. Build relationships with your students as well as their families.
3. Be patient with yourself, take time to self-reflect, and do what works best for you and your classroom.
Mrs. Albert enjoys reflecting on a quote by Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”