By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Veronica Hauptman, Hays Middle School math teacher, knows what its like to be a sixth grader making the transition to the big school.
That is why when one of her student's parents texted her that her daughter had left her ID at school the day before the first middle school dance, Hauptman made the necessary contacts to make sure the girl was able to get into the dance.
Parent Roberta Molstad wrote in Hauptman's nomination for the Hays Post Teacher of the Month Award.
"She does everything she can to help her students adapt to middle school," Molstad said.
She went further, "Mrs. Hauptman has gone above and beyond these first nine weeks as a teacher in math for my daughter. She explains things things when she has a question about how to do something.
"Mrs. Hauptman is always willing to come in every single morning before school if needed, to help with questions, as well as stay after school when needed to meet with my daughter, JM, even on a Friday afternoon."
Molstad wrote of Hauptman's patience and kindness and said she was encouraging to parents as well.
"Thank you, Mrs. Hauptman for being the caring, kind and compassionate teacher that you are. My daughter is extremely lucky to have you as a math teacher," Molstad wrote.
Hauptman, 33, is a Hays native and attended Hays public schools. She graduated from Fort Hays State University with a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in adaptive special education.
She has taught for 11 years, all in the Hays school district. She has taught sixth-grade math for three years and, before that, taught sixth-grade adaptive special education.
"Sixth graders are just the best to work with," Hauptman said,"because they are in a transition year. This is their first year in a big building, and they are all mixed together.
"With that being their transition year, they come in kind of apprehensive at first, and their parents can be apprehensive if this is their first student going through middle school. It is really fun and rewarding to get them acclimated to their new surroundings and get them feeling comfortable."
Hauptman said she is amazed how quickly the students adjust to their new environment.
"They still like school, and they are just fun to be around," she said, "but they are also old enough you can have some humor with them and you can joke with them a little. Their personalities are really starting to come out."
Hauptman said she has known ever since she was a child that she wanted to be a teacher.
"I remember having the easel and a desk in my room and playing school. I remember even in the first or second grade playing school and knowing that was what I wanted to do."
When Hauptman was a sixth grader at Kennedy Middle School, she didn't think she was very good at math. She learned that this was not the case.
"By the time students get to sixth grade, they already have notions about whether they are good at math or they have a subject area that is their strong suit," Hauptman said. "I really like to work with kids to help them develop a growth mindset and help them understand that they can be good at any subject they put work and effort into it.
"You hear kids a lot say, 'I'm just not creative.' 'I'm just not a math person.' Those things don't necessarily have to be true. When we believe that about ourselves, it can keep us from experiencing success."
Hauptman said she has been able to grow close to her students and their parents.
"That is definitely one of the perks of education," she said. "Through having so many students in your class, you get to know a lot of families and that is a very special part of teaching, especially in middle school.
But the time flies, she said.
"In just a few short years those students are working jobs in the community and you see them working and driving around. It feels like you didn't have them so long ago, and they are already so grown up."
Hauptman said she also receives a lot of joy from her colleagues.
"Our team of faculty and staff in this building is encouraging to work with," she said. "They all love kids, and it makes it a fun environment to work in."