HCS Changemaker: Mrs. Kathryn Propst

Congratulations to Mrs. Kathryn Propst, a third-grade teacher at Whitesburg Elementary, who has been selected as an HCS Changemaker!

Mrs. Propst grew up in a family of teachers and has followed in the footsteps of both her mother and grandmother, though that wasn’t always necessarily her plan.  She originally studied nursing in college, but between teaching Sunday school and reflecting on the love and investment she saw her family members pour into the lives of children she soon realized that teaching was her true calling.  She says she saw firsthand the challenges a career in teaching could bring, but she also saw the joy and fulfillment that her mother and grandmother experienced as well.

“She loves her students, treats them like her own, she builds relationships, and just makes a difference in their lives,” says Whitesburg Elementary Principal Lisa Jones. 

Mrs. Propst’s classroom varies from day to day, but what is consistent is that every student is interacting even if they don’t feel confident.  She ensures that her classroom is a safe space where students can feel comfortable making mistakes and she stresses to them that mistakes are how we grow. 

“I just get to love on them every day when they come in the room and be a smiling face,” says Mrs. Propst, “I want to be that bright light for them every morning when they come in.”

When she isn’t teaching, Mrs. Propst admits that she likes to catch up on a lot of naps, but she also coaches cheerleading outside of school, which can be very time-consuming.  When she does get a small break, she also enjoys traveling to anywhere tropical, roaming aimlessly around clothing or home goods stores, or curling up with a good book.

While she does focus a lot on academics and ensuring her students are learning and meeting standards, she says that the biggest thing she wants to provide them with is a boost to their own confidence about anything they set about doing.  She cheers them on every day and makes certain they know that somebody believes in them, and such intentional teaching methods result in positive outcomes for every student that enters her classroom.

In the end, it is quite clear that Mrs. Propst personifies what it means to be an HCS Changemaker.