Henrico's Top Teachers – Maria Kirtley, Springfield Park Elementary School

Maria Kirtley still remembers the excitement she felt as a student at Gayton Elementary School years ago when, on her birthday, her teacher gave her a pencil with the school’s motto at the time: “Knowledge is power.”

“It was just always something that stuck with me,” she recalled of the message. “That’s how they got me – they got me excited about learning.”

Today, in her 15th year as a Henrico teacher – all of them spent in the fourth grade, at three different schools (Montrose Elementary, Ridge Elementary and now Springfield Park), she seeks to impart that same type of enthusiasm in her own students however she can. And it seems to be working.

“She approaches every new task/subject as it's the most fun thing, and ‘let's all have some fun,’” wrote a parent in a nomination letter. “Students are always wanting to share their lives with her because she is open and welcoming with them. She takes time with students and meets them at their level. She allows for creativity and individuality. She is supportive, encouraging, caring, and loving; never condescending.”

At Springfield Park Elementary, where she has taught for the past three years and where some of her students are English language learners, Kirtley takes her role as an advocate for students to heart.

“Sometimes they’re feeling that you’re the only one with the expectation [for them],” she said. “It’s up to you to show them that they can do it.”

Connecting with students has been more challenging this year, because Kirtley has taught from home all year. When schools began reopening for in-person learning in February, she remained virtual to teach an all-virtual class. She’s thankful for the opportunity – and has come up with creative ways to reach her students even though they’re not face to face each day.

Students can earn daily “tickets” by doing things like keeping their cameras on during class, participating in class conversations or chats in the chat window. Those who earn enough tickets receive a prize at the end of the week; Kirtley has dropped a number of those prizes off personally at her students’ homes.

Small acts like that help engage students – and achieve a basic goal of Kirtley’s, too: allowing her to see her students faces regularly.

“We love that connection, and it’s been so bizarre for us not to have it [at times because of the pandemic],” she said. “They need it, too.”

Kirtley settled into fourth grade and has remained there throughout her career partly out of luck but also because she enjoys the in-between age of her students and what comes with that. Students at that level often feel older but still appreciate a teacher who allows herself to be seen as a big kid at heart.

“It’s the age where they still find me funny,” she said with a laugh.

Kirtley’s nominator praised her dedication to working with individual students who need extra attention.

“It seems like from the very beginning she knew there was no magic formula except extra effort and personal time with students,” the parent wrote. “She called me multiple times a week to keep me updated on what she tried, what worked, what we'll try next time. She was always proving advice to our questions of how we could support what [my student] is doing at home. Because of this level of attention, [my student] has been significantly positively impacted. Her grades have improved. Her confidence has improved.

“It’s clear Mrs Kirtley is very tuned in to what her students need both academically and emotionally and bends over backwards to provide an experience that nurtures both for each individual student.”

For Kirtley, the memory of that birthday pencil is never far off. And just as the teacher who gave it to her likely had no idea the lifelong impact it would make, so too does she realize that similar moments are possible for her own students – even though she may never know which ones resonate with them in that way.

“I am aware of trying to make those moments memorable,” she said.