Golden Apple: Irene Hadden

“I love little kids,” Hadden says. “I love to watch them grow. They come in not knowing letters, numbers, sounds. Even how to hold a pencil. And by the time they end, they are reading, writing sentences, and I just love it.”

Even though they’re young, they are locked in. Mrs.Hadden knows how to keep these bright young minds focused on the lesson plan.

“We are very structured. We have rituals, routines, and I have the best team right here.”

It also helps to be surrounded by such a strong support system at Warren Road Elementary.

“Every morning I know that I have Miss Lilly, Miss Taylor, Miss Henderson, Miss Phillips and my whole kindergarten team.”

But as good as this team is, they could not do it without lots of help at home.

“Work with their letters,” she says. “Read to them. You can read a story to them every single day, every single night. And have them start to read to you. The kids can read to you. So the parents read, the kids read. Just be with your child.”