Straughn Elementary School’s new special education teacher, Jennifer Silcox, hopes to set a comfortable and trusting atmosphere in her classroom.

“I hope all of my students reach their full potential,” Silcox said. “I want them to feel comfortable and to trust me.”

Silcox has been at Flomaton Elementary School for the past two years and is very excited to start teaching at SES on Monday.

“This will be the first time that my husband and I are in the same area teaching,” Silcox said. “He teaches at Pleasant Home School so we are grateful to be working in the same area.”

What started out as a love for watching children learn, turned into a career that has lasted four years for Silcox.

“I just love watching children learn,” Silcox said. “The look when that lightbulb comes on is so rewarding, I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.”

Silcox went to the University of West Alabama where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Silcox said that the biggest challenge is making sure that her students know that she is trying to get to know them.

“I want to be able to connect with my students,” Silcox said. “I am just so excited to meet all of my students and get to know them and their families.”

Silcox said that the faculty at SES has been a joy to get to know.

“Everyone at Straughn is so friendly,” Silcox said. “So I know that they will be so easy to work with. The principal, Mrs. Older, is just amazing, and my supervisor is great.”

While Silcox is not in the classroom, she loves to be outside, enjoys the beach and loves to garden. She has been married eight years to Jeremy Silcox, an assistant football, girls basketball and baseball coach and they have a two year old daughter.