The Pulaski County High School Career and Technical Education Center has named Mrs. Tara Bird as their 2022-23 Teacher of the Year.
Mrs. Bird is a graduate of Pulaski County High School. She later attended American National University and is currently enrolled at Liberty University. She has been with the PCHS CTE center and Pulaski County Public Schools for five years, where she teaches Pharmacy Technician I and II and as the ASHP/ACPE Candidate Accreditation Program.
“Tara has this quiet strength that students gravitate toward<” Mrs. Megan Atkinson, Director of CTE and the Governor’s STEM Academy at PCHS said. “She draws on her career as a Certified Pharmacy Technician to provide real-world experiences for the students in her program. Watching her provide quality, engaging instruction, it's hard to believe that she did not follow a traditional career path as an educator.”
“I have always loved helping others,” Mrs. Bird said. “While working in the pharmacy industry I trained new hire technicians district wide. When I saw the position open up for the program, I thought how neat would it be to be able to work with high school students and still teach material I am very familiar with. Being a career switcher into teaching has opened my eyes to a whole other level of respect for our educators!”
While she loves her new position, Bird says there are positives and challenges for anything.
“Every day is different,” she said. “Every student is different! I love that not only do I teach them but they teach me something new every day. I try really hard not to focus on the challenge itself, but more on how I personally respond. Staying positive and not placing blame, but allowing all voices to be heard makes the challenges most of the time successful.”
In the nomination form, there were plenty of great things to say about what Mrs. Bird brings to the school and programs she works with.
“Tara founded the Pharmacy Technician program at PCPS. Over the past five years, she has helped 20 students earn their Certified Pharmacy Technician license. Alumni of her program now work at LewisGale Pulaski, Carilion New River Valley Medical Center, Martin’s Pharmacy, CVS - Pulaski, CVS - Hollins, and other sites across the New River Valley. She even has two alumni of her program enrolled in Pharmacy school. While she did not start her career path in education, she has now found her calling as an educator in the Health and Medical Sciences department. Mrs. Bird is one of the advisors for the Health Occupation Students of America, or HOSA. Throughout the school year, students in this organization have completed awareness activities for various illnesses, fundraised to provide comfort items for patients in long-term care facilities, and volunteered across the community. She also serves as the advisor to the Red Cross club, a group that organizes blood drives each semester to support the community.”
Many of her colleagues also had comments about Mrs. Bird.
“Mrs. Bird is consistent and authentic. She is loved by her peers and respected by her students and mine alike. She has helped cover topics in my course where her expertise is needed and has provided quality instruction at a moment's notice. She has worked tirelessly to bring her program up to national standards this year and has used that experience to help me align my course with New River CC's courses.”
Another colleague said, “Where do I begin? Not only does Tara make such a positive impact on her students, but she also has that same effect on every colleague that she comes in contact with. Her heart is so big and her time is always spent taking care of others. I really have no idea how she does it all! Her dedication to her program, making it the best it possibly can be, inspiring her students, and supporting CTE and PCHS overall do not go unnoticed and are appreciated way more than I think she even knows. She is also one of those individuals that will put the needs of others well before her own, never letting on that anything could even be bringing her down because she is so positive and supportive of everyone around her.”
When not helping Pulaski County students become future pharmacists, Mrs. Bird enjoys being with her family, cooking, traveling to places with warm weather and beaches, and lots and lots of coffee.
She and her husband of 15 years, Eric, have two daughters. Oakley, 11, and Bexley, 6, both attend Riverlawn Elementary school.
“I have an awesome extended family as well as close friends that have always supported and encouraged me, even when I doubted myself,” she said.