Jennifer Kerbaugh, a preschool teacher at Mary G. Hogsett Primary School, is a 1997 graduate of the Danville Independent Schools. Much of her life has been shaped by her time as a student in the Danville Schools, and she continues to give back as a teacher. We asked her journey in the district.

Tell us about your Danville Schools journey. What school(s) did you attend, and what’s a highlight that stands out to you?

I attended Hogsett, Bate and DHS.

There are so many things I remember about being a student in the Danville schools.  My memories of elementary school are most vivid. I remember thinking Hogsett was so big!  I specifically remember my kindergarten teacher, Alice Cannon. The lessons that stand out most to me are The Letter People (Mr. M "Munchy Mouth" was my favorite), and I remember going on a hunt all over the school looking for the gingerbread man. Her classroom was amazing;  I remember spending so much time at the sand table. So many of the friendships I have now as an adult began in that classroom. 

I absolutely loved the library, especially the story nook. When they remodeled Hogsett recently, I was so afraid they would get rid of that feature. No joke, when I got to see the school for the first time, that was one of the first places I went. When I saw that it was still there I felt like a little girl standing there again — I was so giddy. I'm just happy that this generation of Hogsett students will get to experience that, and I hope they remember it and love it, too. That was where we took our class pictures when I was growing up, so I've been trying to bring it back.

Middle school and high school have their own highlights, but maybe one of the most interesting is that my sixth-grade homeroom teacher was Mrs. Cheryl Kerbaugh.  I remember we had to give our homeroom a special name, and we were "Kerbaugh's Kisses."  Who knew that 20 years later she would become my mother-in-law? 

What aspects of your Danville Schools education helped mold you into the person you are today? When you think back on your Danville Schools experience, are there specific instances or relationships that stand out to you as having had a significant impact on your success since graduating?

I remember all of my teachers. I feel like they really knew me, and they made sure I knew them, too. They weren't here just to teach "content."  Relationships were important.  Perhaps this is why, for as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher. I played school all the time when I was little. My dream was to one day be able to teach in Danville — truly, I wanted to teach at Hogsett, to give kiddos the same experiences I had growing up. I try to form relationships with my students and their families, and to keep them up even after they leave my classroom. I want to support and encourage them all the way through their time in the Danville Schools.    

Since becoming a teacher in Danville, one of my favorite moments was going to a middle school basketball game and a group of four or five boys were sitting together behind me. I just so happened to look up at them, and I remembered them — but they remembered me! They looked at me and said, "Mrs. Jennifer!"  It made my day — not many kiddos remember their preschool teachers.

As a product of Danville Schools, what advice would you give to a parent who was choosing an education path for their child?

To any parent trying to decide  what is best for their child, do your homework. Yes, talk to people and check the socials, but seriously, pictures are pictures and opinions are just that. Get into the schools and see for yourself. Talk to the people who are there everyday, take a tour, see the teaching/learning in real time, see how the kiddos are responding to their teachers.

As a product of Danville Schools, what drives you to give back to your local school and/or district? 

I cannot speak for other schools, but I think the fact that we have so many alumni coming back to teach here says a lot about this district. This is home.  We've all had memorable experiences, and we strive to provide that now.

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This piece is part of an ongoing series telling the stories of our Danville Alumni! We share a new alumni story once a month, and we want YOUR story. If you or someone you know is a Danville graduate and an excellent representative of the Danville community and the idea of #SuccessForALL, whether they live in Danville or not, please fill out the form linked below. You can also show your Danville Alumni pride on social media with the hashtag #DanvilleAlumniStories

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