Holly Shelter Middle School special needs teacher sees potential in each student

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Kayla Thomas is in her first year of teaching at Holly Shelter Middle School and she’s already making an impression on her special needs students and their parents. Altogether, she’s taught seven years, all of which have involved special needs children.

A big part of what Thomas teaches her kids are life skills such as how to read the weather forecast.

“My goal is to always expose my students to as much as they can access and as many resources as their parents can use so they can experience life to the fullest,” Thomas said.

One thing Thomas and her assistant does has become a daily ritual.

“We will go around, Ms. Topping, my pair educator and I, and will ask if a student wants a morning hug,” Thomas said. “If we get thrown off which happens in our world the students will say, ‘Oh, we forgot to do morning hugs.’ It just kinda sets the tone of the day.”

A UNC Wilmington graduate, Thomas says special needs kids have always captured her heart.

“I have just always felt passionate about advocating for people with disabilities and giving them equal opportunities to access school and extracurricular activities that all other kids get to experience,” Thomas said.

Holly Ridge Middle School Principal Scott Carter says Thomas definitely exemplifies what it takes to be a great educator.

“The only way that you can do her job or any job in education for an extended period of time is if you love doing it,” Carter said. “You have to be here for the kids and she is truly one of those teachers [who’s] here for the kids.”

Recently, a parent nominated Thomas for WWAY’s Teacher of the Week, sponsored by Wilmington Granite, a recognition she doesn’t take lightly.

“It’s probably one of the top three things that’s happened to me as an educator,” Thomas said. “It feels really good.”

While she’s trying to instill as many life skills as possible, the greatest thing Thomas says she can give her students comes down to one four-letter word — love.

“Despite a disability, despite something that may hold them back from doing something they see other kids doing, they’re still amazing and they need to know that,” Thomas said.

Click here if you would like to nominate a teacher at your school. Each week’s winner receives a $100 gift card. Be as descriptive as possible about what sets your teacher apart from other teachers here in the Cape Fear.