One of Centreville High School’s newest English teachers is Ms. Pearl Lee. Before teaching at Centreville, Ms. Lee taught in Charlottesville, Richmond. She graduated from the University of Virginia and received her Master’s Degree in teaching. When Ms. Lee was 18, she traveled to Bolivia and volunteered as a student teacher. She loved it so much that she decided to pursue teaching, English in particular, because “it gives you freedom of expression and the creative nature of it.”

When Ms. Lee was asked about her thoughts on Centreville as a whole and what made her choose this school, she said that “What really popped out was how the admin[istration] really cared about the students and not just the academic perspective.” It gave her the impression that the school had a diverse and welcoming atmosphere. She teaches ninth and tenth grade English, but she prefers teaching tenth-graders because one of her all-time favorite teachers taught the same level. She also added that she enjoys teaching high-schoolers, saying that “high school students are sassy too, and I enjoy that a lot.” 

Ms. Lee is a very caring, hardworking, and understanding teacher. She spoke out about how there are many hardships that teachers face, and that learning how to manage them can be difficult if you don’t have a set routine of if you don’t know how to handle your stress. Some of these hardships include grading, planning, and meetings, which all seem endless. She takes care of herself by relaxing, eating healthy food, and hanging out with people she loves.

Ms. Lee always tries her best to help all of her students; for example, if she notices someone getting bullied or picked on, she goes out of her way to make sure the conflict is resolved. Her main goal is to make sure that students feel safe and comfortable in her classroom; she has a lot of empathy for her students because she knows and understands the hardships that school can bring. Whenever she sees one of her students struggling, she talks to them about what is wrong and helps them sort out their issues. 

Ms. Lee is an amazing addition to the staff here at Centreville High School. She hopes that by the end of the year her students are more confident in their reading and writing skills, and that they understand everything in life is a work in progress. She hopes to continue traveling, as well as maybe teach in a couple of different schools. However, she feels that it would be difficult for her to leave Centreville, as she’s already become so attached.