Alexis Kirk, an exceptional education teacher at Nuckols Farm Elementary School, has been recognized as the latest “Yay of the Day” honoree by Henrico County Public Schools. Superintendent Amy Cashwell recently presented her with the honor.
Kirk was nominated by Kate Center, who highlighted her commitment to students with special needs. Center said, “She is a teacher that embodies empathy. I have witnessed her go above and beyond for our exceptional education friends. Students and parents love her and all her efforts to assure these kids are receiving the best education and have a safe happy learning environment.
“Once when a student was having a hard time standing still while waiting for his bus to arrive in the afternoon, Mrs. Kirk took the moment to lay on the grass with the student. This not only calmed the student, but it also showed an out of the box way to come down to a child’s level. This worked beautifully. Another instance was when a different student was having a very hard time. The student was upset on the way to get on my bus and continued while on the bus. Mrs. Kirk witnessed that they were not calming, so she came onboard. Mrs. Kirk used different ways to communicate with the student using specific statements but also with sign language (which can be helpful with our nonverbal students). Through this interaction she was able to find out why the student was so upset. My bus aide and I were able to take those cues from Mrs. Kirk and apply them later to help calm the student. Seeing Mrs Kirk with these students and others is a true reflection of someone who is 100% in the right profession. HCPS is very lucky to have her!”
Henrico County Public Schools serves students across Henrico County, Virginia, offering educational services through dedicated staff in classrooms and support roles (official website). The division has received recognition for instructional quality and maintains partnerships aimed at enhancing educational initiatives (official website).
Superintendent Amy Cashwell leads Henrico County Public Schools (official website), which emphasizes creating positive learning experiences through committed educators like Alexis Kirk (official website).
Community members are encouraged to nominate outstanding staff for future “Yay of the Day” recognitions at https://www.henricoschools.us/yay-of-the-day.