Excellent Educators is a WAVY-TV 10 initiative to celebrate local teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and communities during the coronavirus pandemic. These Excellent Educators were nominated by their school divisions. Congratulations to these educators for all of their hard work and accomplishments!
Name: Thomasine Eley
Division: Portsmouth Public Schools
Position: Special education teacher at Simonsdale Elementary School
What the school division said about this Excellent Educator: Thomasine Eley is a self-contained special education teacher at Simonsdale Elementary School, where she services students with severe and profound disabilities. During the coronavirus pandemic, Eley provided instruction for special education students who came in for in-person instruction, and she readily volunteered to teach students from another school, when there were not teachers available for in-person instruction there.
Eley delivered supplies, materials and treats to her students’ homes throughout the year. Whenever needed, Eley delivered documentation requiring parent input or a signature so that documents were completed within the designated timelines.
Eley’s students and parents function much like a family. Eley and her parents have an open chat line, which they have all agreed to use. They share a plethora of information on this chat line all day, every day. The parents share helpful information with one another, celebrate student accomplishments, and support and encourage one another through many situations. The chat line is always open, and chats can be sent any hour of the day or night. Eley has received chats at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.