Becky Newton – Taylor Elementary

Ms. Newton really deserves to be featured in the KSL Teacher Feature. Being a new teacher at our school in 2005 I was a little nervous , we had never had a first year teacher before. My oldest son (Chayden), was enrolled in Ms. Newtons class. I was initially impressed with her and I felt she was doing a fine job. She helped my son and all the other students excel academically. But my son was struggling in other ways, ways I had not seen. A few months into class she noticed my son was not thriving socially. She called my husband and me into her room one afternoon. We were worried because we knew he was doing very well in class and we didn’t know what the problem could be. She explained to us that she had noticed our son playing by himself at recess, sitting alone at lunch, and isolating himself during other situations. She had observed him and had asked us to class to get our permission to encourage a friendship with another student, who was also struggling socially. She paired the two students up. She put them together during reading, math and PE time. It didn’t take long for a friendship to blossom. Four years later my son remains best friends with this young boy, who I now love like he is one of my own children. Ms. Newton went above and beyond her educational duties. She helped my son thrive socially and gain a best friend. I feel truly blessed to have had her teach and love two of my three children- Thanks Ms. Newton! We love you.

–Chayden and Chyler Zeeman