Mrs. McVay

Mrs. McVay: Mother of Five but Supporter of Many

Maddie Mink

Everyone in Aurora knows of Mrs. McVay. Whether you’re a senior at the high school or a fifth grader at Leighton, Mrs. McVay has played a part in your life. She’s practically done it all. From being a substitute teacher for around 13 years to being a mother of five, she recently became a full-time ARC Specialist at Aurora High School. 

McVay attended Kent State University and graduated with a degree in education. Her concentrations are history and language arts. After she graduated from KSU, she started subbing in Kenston, Streetsboro, and later Aurora, which her children attended at the time. Since she was already involved with the school system, subbing here made it very convenient for her lifestyle. She’s been subbing for quite a while, up until this year. 

This year also happens to be her first year being a full-time teacher in a school. When asked why she wanted to work in the school district, McVay replied, “Education is so very important.” and that she’s always been interested in education itself. Due to being a mother, she felt like she was already a teacher for her five kids. Getting her degree in education was always something that she had wanted to accomplish. 

Transitioning from being a substitute teacher for all grades to working full-time as an ARC Specialist in the high school can be a drastic change. Being a substitute teacher for all grades, McVay got to see so many students grow up. She got to watch them and their educational growth. McVay says that one of the hardest parts of this transition is that she no longer sees all of the kids. She states, “One of the greatest things I loved about being a substitute is I got to watch the kids and their educational growth from year to year. Like the kids from high school now, I remember all of you guys from Leighton. And so, like I always tell the kids,‘I’m following you from year to year.’ I love being at the high school full-time, but I do miss seeing the younger kids and watching their educational growth, but I do love being in the classroom full-time.” Although she doesn’t get to see all grades and ranges of students, McVay is excited to give students support during this school year. “I’m trying to help with organizational skills, time management, getting their work done. You know, skills with their studying, and I just want them to be successful and have a good school year.” 

For her classroom environment, McVay set up multiple resources for her students to use, including a weekly agenda. Her students are able to look at this agenda each week and make sure their assignments are turned in on time and being taken care of. She also wants her students to use their time in ARC wisely, by studying and completing any work they have in classes. She posts Kahoots, Quizlets, and anything else that may be helpful for her students on her Google Classroom. McVay is very appreciative of this position. When asked if she could see herself being anything else in the district she revealed, “I don’t think anything. I think this is a perfect fit for me, and I really enjoy what I’m doing. I can’t think of any other spot that I’d rather be in.”

The advice McVay has for her students is also advice that she has given her own children: “Learn from your mistakes, never give up, dream big. You have the whole world ahead of you, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.” It’s safe to say that Mrs. McVay will always be in any student's corner. McVay is someone that is willing to help any student, whether she knows them or not. If any student needs a helping hand, or someone who will guide them in the right direction, Mrs. McVay will always be there. She’s everyone’s number one supporter. 

Written By: Maddie Mink