Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Dana Cassidy, a Title I educator at Aurora Elementary School, to the Meet Our Team Monday spotlight today.
Mrs. Cassidy grew up in Cincinnati and graduated from Oak Hills High School. She went on to attend Wilmington College and graduated with a degree in elementary education and theater, then received her master's degree in educational leadership from the University of Phoenix.
We asked Mrs. Cassidy who her favorite teachers were growing up and who made the biggest impact on the path her life took after high school. She said, “Mrs. Crotty was my 7th grade English teacher and encouraged me to come out of my shell and run for student council. She assigned me the part of Anne Franke in our class play. Both of these actions changed the course of my life! I was heavily involved in student leadership and theater through high school and college.”
Mrs. Cassidy said she knew she wanted to go into education from the time she began kindergarten. “As a matter of fact, I started a notebook in third grade about things I wanted to remember about my teachers. There were things I liked and things I didn't like in my classes. For instance, I could never see the picture cards that my teacher posted on the board from my seat and we weren't allowed to get up to look at them! I never wanted that to happen in my classroom!”
When we asked Mrs. Cassidy what she enjoys most about being part of the SDCSC team she answered, “I have been very lucky to work at both Aurora Elementary School and Dillsboro Elementary School. We have such an amazing group of teachers, administrators and staff that truly care about their students and who want the best for them, not just in academics, but in life! They go above and beyond to make sure the youngsters in our district get all the help they need to be successful!”
Mrs. Cassidy says that her goals for this school year include learning as much as she can about all of the new programs that SDCSC can offer and passing that information along to our teachers and students. “Teachers have to learn just as much as the students!”
When she isn’t researching new programs and opportunities for our students, Mrs. Cassidy enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters. “My husband, Andy and I, spend our time going from dance to soccer to show choir and swimming with our girls - Anna, age 17, Ellie, age 14, and Sophie, age 11. We enjoy ‘fixer-upper’ projects on our house, as well! We have a dog, Maggie.” She also loves to read and says that her favorite books from her elementary school days include Where the Red Fern Grows and The BFG.
Mrs. Cassidy’s advice for SDCSC students? “Do your best at school each day and enjoy all the amazing things that your teachers do in your classrooms! Sometimes, things are tricky, but TRY, and ask for help when you need it!”