Kesterson teacher puts fun into first grade
Nathaniel Mansfield wasn’t just costumed as a police officer at Kesterson Elementary School on Thursday. The 6-year-old was a K-9 officer — as it said on his black shirt — and for good reason.
“So I could bring a dog,” said Nathaniel, who shook his head no when asked whether that had been allowed.
Nathaniel soon forgot about that as the Henderson school’s first-grade teacher Nicole Schwedrsky had him read aloud the poem “Five Little Pumpkins.” All 21 students in her class were in costume. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Sacajawea, Snow White, Wolverine. They all read along in unison as they sat on the floor, focused on their teacher during a day of distractions, as if under Schwedrsky’s spell. Even the boy in a ghost costume with eye holes that obscured his vision was determined to take part.
“I can’t really see the paper,” he said.
Schwedrsky said he could take the costume off.
“No, I can do it,” replied the boy, eager to do the work and stay in character.
Schwedrsky was dressed as Batman with a black and yellow tutu. One of her students happened to wear the same custom costume, tutu and all, illustrating why Schwedrsky connects so well with her students.
“She has a childlike enthusiasm,” said Principal Jackie Walker, noting how that trait combined with Schwedrsky’s genuine kindness enables her to get so much out of students, earning her the honor of being September Clark County Educator of the Month.
A parent nominated Schwedrsky for the award, which is sponsored by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Sierra Nevada College. A panel that includes members of the Clark County School Board, the Public Education Foundation, Teach for America and private schools chooses the monthly winner from nominations anyone can submit through a link at reviewjournal.com under “Contests and Promotions.”
A parent may have nominated Schwedrsky but students also praise her.
“I like her. We do fun things, like science,” said Nathaniel, describing the day’s tasks: measuring the weight, circumference, height and more of his mini pumpkin.
“I really do like her. First of all, she’s funny,” added classmate Nicholas Tolar, noting how people think he’s a fighter pilot because of his military uniform. “But I’m a soldier. Actually, I’m a zombie soldier. You want to see my mask?”
But teaching didn’t come naturally to Schwedrsky 10 years ago when she graduated from the University of Wisconsin at age 24 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
“I was completely in over my head,” said Schwedrsky, remembering once coming home in tears after teaching kindergarten.
She took a big leap of faith moving to Nevada for a kindergarten job at Kesterson, near Gibson Road and American Pacific Drive. She took the job having never been to Las Vegas and rented an apartment with her husband over the Internet.
“We packed up our 8-foot U-Haul trailer and drove out here with our Jeep, already with 215,000 miles,” said Schwedrsky, recalling how they cranked up the heater to keep the engine from overheating.
But teaching young students has been her goal ever since a work-study experience at the end of high school with a kindergarten teacher. He left her alone with the students one day.
“It was those interactions, that little look on their faces. They got it,” she remembers. “I did that.”
A decade later, she’s still awed by being able to connect with young children.
“They soak up everything I feed to them. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” said Schwedrsky, adding half-jokingly that she may try second grade but nothing beyond that and she’d never become an administrator. “I’ll stay here. I like the kids. I’m not as fond of grownups.”
Contact Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279. Find him on Twitter: @TrevonMilliard.
