Karen Murphy, a new instructional assistant at Newbury Elementary, is already making her mark on the little ones who roam the school.
In an interview with the principal of NES, Beth Yando, it was clear there were only good things to share. When asked how Ms.Murphy is doing so far, Yando didn’t have to think twice.
“I think she’s doing great: her classroom looks great, the students are happy, and when you go in there they’re all engaged,” said Yando. “So, yeah, she’s doing a great job.”
After being a retired paraprofessional and living in Virginia for 26 years, Murphy thought it was time for a change. In 2017, she took on babysitting, giving her even more experience to add to her resume. She moved back to her roots in Massachusetts where she was born, in search of cooler weather. Little did she know her knack for teaching rekindled in her home state.
Teaching has been a part of Ms. Murphy’s life for as long as she can remember. From volunteering at a preschool to working in a regional school with its autism program, it’s safe to say Murphy has a lot of experience. When a fellow NES teacher asked her to join the team, she was delighted and couldn’t wait to make her mark.
In a recent interview, Ms. Murphy walked into the room and immediately lit up with a welcoming smile. Having two kids of her own, and many grandchildren, she is no stranger to little ones.
After graduating from Hanover High School in Massachusetts, she knew right away what she was destined to do. She took many special education courses in California, Massachusetts, and Virginia, which ultimately kickstarted her career. While in Massachusetts she applied for the Triton District’s summer program job and worked there as her first gig when moving back to Massachusetts. While working, a teacher approached her asking if she would like to go back to work full time, to which Ms. Murphy told her she applied for the kindergarten position the other day, where she would be an instructional assistant in a kindergarten classroom. Coincidentally, the teacher exclaimed that she was applying to be in her room. Without surprise, she got the job full time.
Murphy has many goals for this upcoming school year such as learning new things, taking new courses and improving on getting to know the students and their needs. According to Murphy she’s hoping to bring many great qualities to NES.
“I think I bring compassion and patience,” she said. “You have to have a lot of patience with the kids. I love the children and just really want to be here.”
One person who gets to see these qualities first hand, is Murphy’s mentor, kindergarten instructional assistant Paige Sullivan. Sullivan luckily got the opportunity to work with Murphy over the summer in the same classroom. This gave her the chance to observe her and see her in action.
“She is very calm and patient. She never seems rattled, and working with two students is a lot but she does a great job,” said Sullivan.
