By Nichole Smith
Mrs. Bridget Schreiner has always had a passion for teaching, and for the past two years, she has been the Learning Support Services Teacher in the Lower School where she works with children who have learning disabilities and need extra support.
She loves to spend time in the outdoors, and she values the silence and solitude of nature as she reflects on her life while setting news goals for the future and thinking about the ways in which she can continue to make a difference in the lives of others. A nurturer and encourager, she recognizes when students need to be uplifted and when they need an extra push to help them reach their goals.
Anyone who knows Mrs. Shreiner knows that she has a special gift for identifying students’ needs and meeting them where they are. Some of her greatest success stories over the years have been with students who have felt defeated and have put up barriers as a result. Once she makes a breakthrough and those students realize that they can truly be themselves around her and that they can let their guard down, she sees a tremendous amount of progress.
During the second week of the new semester, Mrs. Schreiner transitioned to her new role as Director of Learning Support Services. In her new position, she will have the opportunity to serve the families of Montverde Academy in a new way. She said, “I primarily had contact with students before, whereas now, I’ll also be walking alongside their families.” She will have the opportunity to be a part of the students’ evaluations from the very beginning of their time here, everything from writing the accommodation plan to a host of other new duties that she wasn’t able to do in her previous position.
When different kids have said to her, “I’m going to miss you so much,” her response is always, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be more involved in your life than ever before.”