BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Teacher Audrey Murphy was used to being around “short humans,” as she put it, so she was a little apprehensive about being around “tall humans.”
She has obviously transitioned quite fine to Bradford High School, having been named the district’s Teacher of the Year in just her second year at the school.
“I was very shocked because I had really good competition,” Murphy said, adding, “It’s an honor. It was unexpected.”
BHS Principal Chris Coffey said Murphy has been a “phenomenal” addition to the school.
“She comes to us with a wealth of experience in the district,” Coffey said. “Just her knowledge of different systems and processes has been really helpful for us. She’s a go-to person for just about everything. When people have questions about something, she’s one of the first people that comes to their mind as far as who to reach out to and who they think can help them out.”
Until moving to BHS for the 2023-24 year, Murphy had spent her entire career at what was formerly known as Southside Elementary School, which she began teaching at full-time in January 2000.
Coffey said when Murphy arrived, you would’ve never known she had no secondary level experience. He credits that to the work she put in to successfully adapt.
“Whatever she can do to learn more about the tasks she’s been given, she’s going to do, and she’s going to do without being asked,” Coffey said.
Murphy admitted she was anxious about her new job.
“I was a little nervous coming to the high school because kids have facial hair and are almost grown up,” she said. “They’re almost to adulthood.”
Murphy said Superintendent of Schools Will Hartley reminded her she’d know a lot of the students, having taught them previously.
“When I got here and saw familiar faces, I was like, ‘OK. I can do this. I know a bunch of these kids.’ A lot of them remembered me,” Murphy said.
Murphy is the curriculum resource teacher at BHS, working with teachers in their classrooms as well as one-on-one with students in small groups. She’s also the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education Program exams coordinator.
That’s not all.
“We’re a little shorthanded, so we’re throwing some extra things in there,” Murphy said, “but at the end of the day, it’s doing whatever we need to do to make kids successful.”
Teacher-minded
Murphy can remember being in charge of a pretend classroom at the age of 6 in her home in Lawtey. Her students were dolls and plush animals.
“My dad had a chalkboard on the wall in our bedroom,” she said. “I knew how to spell the word ‘toe,’ so I named one of my students ‘Toe’ because I knew I could write that.”
As a student in a real classroom, Murphy said she took note of her teachers and how well she thought they did their jobs. She would imagine how she’d do things if she was in their shoes.
“I think I’ve always been teacher-minded,” she said.
The idea of going into education solidified as a student at BHS. Murphy had her eye on being an administrator, but she knew she’d have to start out as a teacher. She would go on to earn her bachelor’s degree through Saint Leo University.
She still has hopes of becoming an administrator eventually. She’s one class away from earning her master’s degree.
While in college, Murphy had the opportunity to shadow Becky Reddish, who was the principal at BHS. Murphy said Reddish allowed her to help with projects and see if she would really like working as an educator.
“That was really nice,” Murphy said. “I’ve just been in love with the classroom and kids ever since.”
Murphy said what impressed her about Reddish was her leadership style.
“She was professional all the time,” Murphy said. “She had a way of letting you know what you needed to know with grace. She could give you the hard truth, but with grace.
“I wanted to do that when I got into a position of leadership — to be able to have hard conversations, but still have them in a loving way.”
Murphy’s college internship took place at Southside Elementary in Lisa Gault’s third-grade classroom.
“She had a lot of good advice, especially on how to build relationships with kids,” Murphy said.
Building relationships is something Murphy has always strived to do, whether it’s with elementary students or high school students.
“I really feel like teachers need to establish a relationship where kids understand that you’re their teacher — that there is a job to do — but you do care about them as humans,” she said. “Whether they’re short humans or tall humans, with facial hair or without, they’re still just human beings. We don’t know what goes on outside of the seven hours we have them here at school. We just have to build positive relationships so that they want to be here.”
An ‘amazing’ start to her teaching career
Murphy, who did some substitute teaching before becoming a full-time teacher, had a dream of teaching at Lawtey Elementary, which was three blocks from her childhood home.
Southside, however, was where she was meant to be.
“God had different plans,” Murphy said. “I ended up at Southside. It was amazing.”
She began teaching second grade and said she became part of a strong team of other second-grade teachers, who supported each other so that they could be the best they could be in the classroom.
“It got me into what I feel is one of my strengths — helping teachers work together, collaborating so that you’re not alone in doing this and doing all this hard work by yourself, while also making the best experience for all of our kids.”
Murphy places an emphasis on “our kids,” saying, “I always felt like it was ‘our kids,’ not ‘your class’ and ‘my class.’ What are we doing to help all of them?”
Murphy also taught first grade and was an ESE teacher in which she mainly taught fifth-graders. As a Title I teacher, she did interventions for students in K-5. Murphy also coordinated K-5 after-school tutoring.
While she was still teaching second grade, Murphy had a stint as reading coach, a position she shared with another second-grade teacher.
No matter what role Murphy filled at Southside, she was not hesitant to go off campus to help students. In fact, she said her colleagues joked that she was always the first one to jump when going on a home visit was brought up.
“They didn’t come to school? Let’s stop by their house. I don’t have a fear of going to an unknown neighborhood,” Murphy said. “I will go knock on a door. I’ve tested kids on their front porch because they missed school, and they needed to have whatever required testing done.
“Whatever’s best for the kids. That’s what it all comes down to.”
Doing what’s best for BHS students
Murphy now finds herself doing her part to ensure success for an older group of students — students who are preparing to become adults.
“I feel like whatever we’re doing on this campus — or any campus in Bradford County schools — is impacting our community for the future,” she said. “We’re setting up kids for success, whether they stay here in Bradford County, or they leave and go somewhere else. At the end of the day, we’ve tried to provide them the best education that we can.”
Coffey said Murphy is a person who doesn’t let obstacles deter her and her colleagues from that mission.
“She’s always got the most positive outlook about everything,” Coffey said. “Any situation or any kind of hurdle we come to, it’s, ‘OK. This is where we’re at. What are we going to do to fix it? What are we going to do to improve?’
“She’s just so optimistic and a cheerful person to be around.”
What Coffey has seen in Murphy is someone who truly cares about the students, whether it’s concerning their academic performance or some other aspect of their lives.
“She loves our kids,” Coffey said. “She’ll do anything and everything for them. I’ve seen her have a number of tears over different situations with kids just because she has a big heart.”
That big heart led to a big-time honor bestowed upon her by her peers, though being recognized as Teacher of the Year almost makes Murphy uncomfortable.
“I don’t like to be the center of attention, but I do appreciate it,” she said.
Coffey said though Murphy is in just her second year at BHS, the honor was well-deserved.
“That just goes to show the respect that she’s gained from everybody on this campus and from everyone within the district,” he said. “She’s just an unsung hero. We’re just really fortunate for her to be here. It’s a better place because she’s here.”
