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San Onofre teacher has unique role as educator, military wife

An honored teacher at San Onofre School offers a unique perspective about working at the new campus. Brittni Rudolph has taught at the school for the past four years, initially second grade and, the past three years, first grade.

For the past two years, she was selected by her peers as Teacher of the Year for the Camp Pendleton school. She also lives on base as the wife of a Marine Corps captain, and has two daughters in the district, ages 9 and 13.

Rudolph said she is excited about the new campus, completed in April 2019.

"The school is gorgeous," she said. "From the moment you walk in it's hard to believe that this is a K-8 campus. But what I think is most special about our school is the relationships built inside between parents, students, and staff. That is what makes our school special."

The teacher said being able to watch the new school being built right beside the old campus was amazing.

"Students were able to watch demolition, change in landscape, and then creation from the foundation up," she said. "Each day something new was happening, and everyone was excited. The new campus is a beautiful state-of-the-art facility. And, once we were moved in, the engineers were even kind enough to meet with our first grade students and share with them all of the work that went on behind the scenes. It was a real-life career connection opportunity!"

The "old building" – built in 1974 – was similar to public schools she had worked in previously in other parts of the country. "However, what did impress me most was the greater access to technology and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)."

Rudolph graduated from Penn State University in 2001 and received her master's in education in 2006 from Bowling Green State University in Special Education.

"Teaching is my passion," she said. "I love everything about it! As the saying goes, 'Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.'"

She said the key to success stems around relationships. "When you purposefully and actively seek to build those relationships with students and between students, you can master academics with rigor and fun," she explained.

Rudolph added that she has a special appreciation for military families. "It is my deepest honor to advocate for and work with our military connected students and their families," she said. "My own personal experiences allow me to connect and understand the unique needs of our military families in a way that many cannot. These are my people and I am humbled to be a part of such an amazing group."

She noted that it's not always easy to be a teacher and a military spouse.

"Each change in orders can mean a move, applying for new credentials, loss of years on the pay scale, retirement sprinkled around the country, and months and/or years with my husband away," she shared. "However, there are positives! Each new position affords me the opportunity to learn new skills, new curriculums, and take new adventures. We have been extremely fortunate that for the last five years I have been able to stay with FUESD, and look forward to even more!"

There are other rewards. "I feel my biggest accomplishment is found in the connections and relationships I build with students and families. When students/families contact me years later with updates, invitations, and even surprises, this is what lets me know I'm making a difference – an impact. This validates how important relationships and teachers are."

 

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