For one Central teacher, a new beginning with old friends

Ms.+Poos+providing+some+personal+attention+to+one+of+her+students.

Ms. Poos providing some personal attention to one of her students.

Allyson Bono, Editor

From the moment Erin Rousan, Hazelwood North Middle English teacher, met her former colleague, Jana Poos, she knew she was a role model educator.

“From my very first interactions with Miss Poos, I immediately knew she was a role model teacher. The way she builds relationships with students and manages her class is something to be admired. To this day, I think of how she would handle situations and try to mirror that in my own classroom,” Rousan said.

Poos is known as phenomenal English teacher by many former and current students, along with many of her colleagues. She recently made a transition from Hazelwood North Middle to Hazelwood Central High where she is now teaching her first year. Her loving, and unique way of teaching is just one of the reasons so many people have said they adore her.

“The thing Miss Poos has mastered is relationships. Not only does she build meaningful and lasting relationships with her students but with her peers/colleagues as well. She has a way of making people feel special and significant,” said Rousan.

Poos is a very humbled teacher that doesn’t always realize how much people inspire to be like her and how greatly she is appreciated. She agreed that her relationships with others makes a big difference.

“I get to know my kids on a personal level and can relate to them. I genuinely love my kids and enjoy them. I have been asked how I do this a lot and do not really have an answer…Magic, I guess?” said Poos.

As many people would say, Poos has impacted their lives not only in school but outside of school also.

“I have gained a lifelong friend. I have only known her for about 3 years now but I know she will be a huge part of my life forever,” said Rousan.

Rousan is just one of many people that built a strong relationship with Poos. One of her current students that followed her from North Middle to Central High believes that he couldn’t have done it without her.

“She looks at me different from the people at the school, she makes sure everything is broke down in my own understanding to do my work,” Freshman Krishon Bruce, said.

When transitioning from middle to high school, Bruce said Poos made a difference for him.

“It has been great, I think my start of the year would have not been good without her,” Bruce said.

What impacted him the most is her words of encouragement.

“Don’t never give up on nothing, there is nothing that you can’t do,” said Bruce.

Rousan said she has had many memories that she will never forget that she got to share with Poos.

“I really enjoy the many games we go to, to watch and cheer former students. You can tell how proud she is of her ‘kids’ at these games,” Rousan said.

Poos has many memories as well being a teacher in the Hazelwood School District for 17 years.

“My last show I did at Kirby now Hazelwood East Middle where my kids called me onstage to thank me and give me flowers was a powerful memory I will never forget. I started writing a book about my experiences and memories, and it felt like there have been too many to effectively share,” said Poos.

Poos has made so many positive impacts not only on her colleagues, but on her students as well. Many students have said that just walking in her classroom door can make their day go from bad to good. Poos is an extraordinary teacher that many people inspire to be like. She was an amazing teacher at Hazelwood North Middle, and is now a remarkable teacher at Hazelwood Central High.

“ I believe that everyone has a story, and it’s important that we encourage all students to tell theirs,” said Poos.