For students across the Talawanda School District, it’s difficult to hide the joy that follows any mention of Mrs. Chie Tomoyasu -- or, affectionately, “Mrs. T.”
Known for her work within the district, Mrs. T has a bright, excitable attitude that has gained her a universal appreciation from Talawanda students and staff. In addition to the work she has done at the Talawanda schools, she has also always taken a particular interest in school sports and activities.
Mrs. T, who came to the United States in 2001 (and then to Oxford in 2008), reports that she has a strong curiosity for the things that she never saw at her schools in Japan. Activities like Mock Trial and Talawanda music groups fascinate that joy for learning and experiencing, she says. She's a big fan of cross country and the different Talawanda music ensembles, as well as the shows put on by the drama program.
When coming to Oxford in 2008, Mrs. T knew that she wanted to be involved in her son’s school in some way, having had previous experience in elementary schools when she had lived in Kansas before moving to Oxford. She began volunteering in the Kramer Elementary library and lunchroom, helping to clean up tables, and eventually landed a job as a lunchroom and recess monitor before working as a library assistant at the middle and high school.
When it comes to her connection to the school, Mrs. T says that the energy of the students and teachers drives her own curiosity and spark for learning new things. She even has said that much of her fashion inspiration comes from her fellow Talawanda staff.
Student athletes and club members have frequently been surprised with Mrs. T’s chalk art, drawn under the fieldhouse or out near the football field. She says that making this art for students makes her smile, and that expressing creativity to make people happy is something she very much enjoys doing.
Talawanda English teacher Ms. Webb said of Mrs. T: “She is an amazing woman, a diehard supporter of the cross country and track teams, a super generous and fabulously sweet person.”
In fact, it would seem that a great number of Talawanda students and staff feel this same way.
“She takes a genuine interest in the students, she takes an active effort in caring about others,” said Talawanda junior Owen West Poley (who, it should be noted, loudly announced “I love Mrs. T!” when I first asked him for a quote). He also said about her encouragement of school activities, “She’ll send us emails and they’re really sweet and nice. It’s so nice and easy to have conversations with her.”
Senior Abby Zmuda said, “I think she embodies the Talawanda spirit, the pride of what it is to be a Brave and she expresses that for every activity. It’s everything, everyone is included, and she does so much to make us smile.”
Mrs. T says that she aspires to be a kind of walking sunshine, as a way to encourage and reflect the energy she sees in the students and faculty around Talawanda. From all of the amazing work she’s done around the district and all of the wonderful support she’s given students and teachers, she has certainly lived up to that goal.