Working alongside teachers at Atlanta Heights Charter School, Taylor Menendez pushes to give students one-on-one, modified instruction that can be life-altering.
One student she worked with went from one to five sounds when they first arrived at Atlanta Heights, such as starter sounds for each letter. But with Menendez’s help, not only has that student progressed past sounds, but they can also read 30 sight words.
“I’m really proud of them, very excited,” she said. “They started at the very bottom but they were super, super excited because they got those sight words, and they were able to pass that test.”
Menendez, in her fifth year at Atlanta Heights, was named an Excellence in Teaching winner this year as part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) Excellence Awards and was celebrated by her family and students. Whether she is working with a teacher she has teamed with for several years or someone new, Menendez adapts to ensure students get all the support they need to reach their potential.
“I felt like I got a lot more accomplished this year,” she said. “I was able to experience different testing, looked over numeracy and different things to help the kids progress.”
In addition to supporting the students, Menendez enjoys the tight-knit culture at Atlanta Heights. That atmosphere is a product of parents, students and teachers working together for the past 15 years.
“I know it gets hard at times but they always have to try,” she said. “Try and try again – that’s the model that we go with, to never give up, so always try your best because you never know what you might get out of it.”
Keep up the excellent work, Ms. Menendez!
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About Atlanta Heights Charter School
Atlanta Heights Charter School is a tuition-free, public charter school in Atlanta, Georgia, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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