New Teachers at Donelson Elementary

Many teachers enjoy the constant interaction and the excitement each day brings, and new Donelson Elementary teacher Aisa Brammer is no different. “My favorite thing about teaching is that each day is different, so no matter what I plan, my kids come in everyday and bring something new to the classroom that I don’t expect which keeps the classroom interesting.” This is her first year being...

Christine Germany traded her big city living to come to Arlington to continue her teacher career, and Donelson Elementary has welcomed her with open arms. “I just moved from Chicago this past year, and Donelson is one of the best elementary schools in the state.” Mrs. Germany says her favorite subject to teach is math. One student was extremely excited to give his thoughts on how great Mrs....

For a lot of teachers, working at a new school will take a while to get used to. But for Amanda Etherington, she already loves Donelson. “Donelson has such a great reputation… and they’re just so welcoming.” At Donelson, Mrs. Etherington teaches second grade. While teaching younger children can be a challenge, Mrs. Etherington loves what she does. “The younger kids are so much fun, they...

Haley French, a new second grade teacher at Donelson Elementary, has always wanted to work with kids. In high school, she was a part of a program called “Ready, Set, Teach.” This program allowed her, as a junior in high school, to teach numerous age levels. Ms. French moved from Little Rock, Arkansas to Memphis this summer and wanted to work in a good community to teach in. Ms. French says that...

This 2018-2019 school year will be Kodie Norville’s first year teaching, but not her first year at Donelson. “I student taught 4thgrade with Mrs. Todd last Fall, then held a long term substitute position in the Spring.” After college, Ms. Norville spent some time exploring different work fields. It was then she decided that teaching was the perfect job for her. “I worked in fields other...

Donelson has a new rockstar on board by the name of Erica Gilmer. Her classroom is decorated so her students can be rockstars too! As a graduate from Ole Miss and University of Memphis, Ms. Gilmer is no stranger to the Mid-South area. She considers Arlington her home, and is happy to be back. She previously taught at Lakeland Schools and Fayette County Schools, and is familiar with the teaching...

In preschool, a student learns their basis of education. Letters, numbers, and colors are all common things taught in a preschool curriculum; however, preschool also greatly affects the rest of a student’s educational career. No one knows this better than one of Donelson Elementary’s newest teachers, Madison Luna. “It’s different when you’re actually in the classroom… sometimes what you...

Emilee Cooley is a new Speech Language Pathology (SLP) teacher at Donelson Elementary, and already is building a solid program. Cooley says, “Language and communication is the foundation in which all of these kids will build upon for the rest of their lives. Not only do I get to be a part of building it but I also get to find all the weak spots and strengthen them.” Cooley decided to becom...

  Shelby Klein might be new to teaching, but she is ready to take on the challenge, “I’m enjoying it. I just started in August.” Ms. Klein graduated this past May from University of Memphis, where she excelled in the teaching degree program. She considers Arlington Community Schools one of the top programs in the state. “I feel like the parent involvement in the Arlington area is...

One of the best things about Arlington Community Schools, is their hiring of familiar faces. Brooke McGhee, a previous student teacher at Donelson Elementary has now transitioned to 2nd Grade. “I love 2nd grade, I see a lot of independence and growth within the students,” says McGhee. Her class was absolutely excited to tell us about Mrs. McGhee. “She’s super nice and I love her,” said one...

Jennifer Madonia, a new fourth and fifth grade special education teacher at Donelson Elementary, is excited to continue her teaching career here in Arlington Community Schools. “It’s a very welcoming community and they’re great, the staff is great, it’s very close to home.” She previously taught at Shelby County but she decide to move to Donelson Elementary for her children’s education. “I...

Recently, Arlington Community Schools decided to add a STEM Program at their Elementary Schools. And new Donelson Elementary STEM Teacher Dr. Robyne Batson couldn’t be more thrilled. “I’ve taught all ages and I am very excited at where I am at now.” Dr. Batson began her teaching career in 1983. While she has been in numerous school systems and schools, Dr. Batson stated “The Arlington...

Many people may not know how hard Kindergarten teachers work to ensure their students' success, and new Donelson Elementary Kindergarten teacher Sami Gore, is one of those teachers. Gore is enthusiastic about continuing her teaching career at Donelson Elementary. “I’ve been a  Pre-Kindergarten teacher for eleven years,” Mrs. Gore says. One unique thing about Mrs. Gore is that sh...

Elizabeth Ozment didn’t start out wanting to become a teacher, but with a change of heart and a change of location, she’s now one of the newest faces at Donelson Elementary. She has found her passion in teaching second graders. She attended University of Tennessee and did a year of Graduate School, with a focus of pre-med, and ultimately decided to pursue education instead. She wanted to become...