Hello, my name is Kathy Wood. I am a proud mother of three, and we live in Willow Spring, North Carolina. I am originally from the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina and moved to the eastern part of the state in 1996 to start a family farm.  Life has gifted me many surprises over the years, the most enjoyable being my three beautiful children.  My oldest daughter is exploring a freelance career in graphic design after studying at  Appalachian State University. My son is a freshman at ECU exploring a career in psychiatry,  and my youngest daughter is a junior in high school and absolutely amazing! 

I have been a teaching assistant in grades PreK-2nd, a substitute teacher in grades PreK -12th, office support personnel, and a special education intern at Dixon Road Elementary in Johnston County, North Carolina.  I recently graduated from ECU with a degree in Special Education General Curriculum K-12 with a reading instruction concentration. 

As an active community advocate, I am a member of the Advisory Council at West Johnston High School. I attend Providence Presbyterian Church, where I teach Sunday school and have been a youth group leader and youth director. I have had many hobbies and interests over the years. I play several instruments, including the flute, oboe, saxophone, and piano. I enjoy reading historical fiction, European mysteries, and literary classics. I enjoy watching British television dramas, comedies, and quiz shows. I also enjoy watching foreign-language films with subtitles, especially Scandinavian mysteries.

From my earliest interactions with students, I noticed that they are hungry for so many things: knowledge, attention, respect, safety, food, clothing, a friend, family, and stability. Not every child lacks these necessities, but the ones that do stand out. That is why I believe that all students deserve the best education taught by the most passionate teachers, regardless of ability, race, ethnicity, or gender. Each student comes to school with a story; we may not know what it is. Still, our job is to ensure their needs are met, multicultural diversity is embraced, and positive classroom culture is established. All of these things must be addressed so our children can learn and grow up to be resilient and independent adults who thrive in a world that they are contributing to not only because they can, but because they feel the desire to pay it forward. Teaching should be student-centered and allow for exploration, tactile interaction with materials, collaboration among peer groups, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.