Kimberly Synowiecki says what she enjoys most about teaching is building strong relationships with her students.

Kimberly Synowiecki, an English teacher at South, is dedicated to creating a positive classroom where students feel supported, inspired and ready to learn.

Synowiecki has taught English at South since January 2016. For nearly 10 years, she has focused on helping students learn and feel comfortable in a positive classroom environment. She said she believes the most important goal of an English teacher is “to help students learn and to make sure they feel like they are in a good environment.”

One of the things Synowiecki enjoys most about teaching is building strong relationships with her students.

“I really enjoy having a good relationship with my students,” she said. She loves the sense of community at South and said it’s one of the main reasons she can’t imagine teaching anywhere else. “I love the community at South, and I don’t see myself teaching at another school,” she added.

Currently, Synowiecki is facing the challenge of managing her time as she balances teaching with attending graduate school.

“Right now, my biggest challenge is managing my time because I’m in grad school and also teaching,” she said. She is studying to become a school counselor, which she described as one of her biggest dreams. “One of my dreams is to have a different role in education, like school counseling,” she said.

Synowiecki said she stays motivated by reading notes from her students when things get tough.

“I like to read my students’ notes whenever I’m struggling; they remind me why I do what I do,” she said. She continues to grow as a teacher by listening to feedback and paying attention to what others say. “I always try to stay up with trends and learn from others around me.”

She said she handles stress by staying calm and understanding.

“When I get stressed, I try to take myself out of the situation and understand what’s going on instead of getting mad,” she said. One of her fears, she added, is “not understanding people or not making a difference.”

Through her kindness, hard work and love for teaching, Synowiecki continues to inspire her students every day at South.