A Surprise Delivery Worth Celebrating
Few moments capture D’Andra’s profound impact on her school community better than the way she found out she had won. Sitting at home on maternity leave with her newborn, D’Andra received an unexpected knock on the door from her principal, who arrived bearing arms full of gifts, a custom banner, and a collection of tear-jerking video messages recorded by her students and fellow teachers."A lot of my colleagues and students made videos for me because I wasn't there to receive the honor in person. It was really, really nice. I don't know, I blamed it on the pregnancy hormones, but I was crying. I had no idea I was even nominated."
That overwhelming wave of gratitude from her Orion family came as a surprise to D’Andra, but to anyone who knows her, the recognition couldn't be more well-deserved.
Middle school can be a chaotic time, but stepping into D’Andra’s classroom offers students a sanctuary built on trust, respect, and creative expression.
Paying Forward the Gift of Great Mentorship
D’Andra’s journey in education spans a decade, beginning back in Florida where she had the unique joy of teaching at her high school alma mater alongside the very educators who once guided her through her own youth."They were the ones that kind of inspired me to become a teacher because I just remember the impact that they had on me. Their role went beyond teaching for me. They were counselors, sometimes parents, and a friend if you needed a friend. And I just wanted to kind of pay that forward."
Now wrapping up her third year at Orion, D’Andra reflects on how NHA's supportive culture pushed her to step out of her comfort zone and discover her full potential as an educator.
"Working for NHA has pushed me to be an excellent teacher because it really pushes you beyond your comfort zone. I've had so much support from admin, my colleagues, and from my leadership."
Building a Safe Haven Through Theater and Empathy
Middle school can be a chaotic time, but stepping into D’Andra’s classroom offers students a sanctuary built on trust, respect, and creative expression. Drawing on her background in theater, D’Andra breathes vibrant life into character education by having her middle schoolers write and perform monthly skits centered around NHA’s Moral Focus™ virtues.Even more impactful is how Dandra teaches her students to navigate relational drama with maturity. Instead of letting arguments escalate, her middle schoolers regularly request structured "peer mediations" to sit down and talk through issues peacefully before things boil over.
"There's a problem, they know to ask, 'We need a mediation, we need an intervention.' It shows accountability and growth with them. And shows how to properly navigate through life’s tough issues."
By giving her students the tools to resolve conflict with empathy, D’Andra has created a classroom dynamic where every student feels seen, heard, and supported.
By giving her students the tools to resolve conflict with empathy, D’Andra has created a classroom dynamic where every student feels seen, heard, and supported.
A Philosophy Rooted in Genuine Love
Teaching is a calling filled with demanding days, but D’Andra keeps her spirit anchored in the real reason she steps through the school doors each morning: the young lives counting on her guidance."I am here for the kids. I have about 70, 80 kids depending on me every single day. And you have to be a model in every sense of the word, not just with the curriculum, but even with life skills."
For D’Andra, excellence isn't just measured by data points or test scores, it is measured by the personal growth and confidence of the human beings sitting at those desks.
"That's definitely the impact that I always want to have on my students, that they know beyond the work, I cared about them as individuals, as human beings, and that I motivated them to allow them to feel like they can do anything."
Congratulations D’Andra Pinder! Thank you for bringing so much heart, excellence, and love to Orion Academy every day!
About Orion Academy
Orion Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Cincinnati, Ohio, 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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