COLUMBUS, Miss. (CMSD) – Martisa Francois can vividly remember riding the school bus as a child and playing teacher.
“My dad told me I would a be a teacher. I didn’t believe him,” recalled Francois.
Now, she could not imagine doing anything else.
“I truly believe this is something I was created to do,” said Francois.
The Wren, Mississippi native is in her first year serving as a principal. She oversees 443 students, along with teachers and staff at Stokes-Beard Elementary School.
Her goal is simple, build a foundation of reading for her young students.
“It’s important to get the foundation of reading correct in elementary classes, so they don’t struggle academically in middle and high school. Reading is the gateway to success,” said Francois.
With more than 20 years in education, she knows the challenges teachers face in the classroom. It is one reason Francois believes in mentoring young educators.
“No profession is possible without a teacher. So, it is important work. I work with the teachers on how to manage their classroom and build relationships with students. This is a calling, not just a profession to jump in,” said Francois.
In her first year, Francois learned a few things about being a principal that she never knew before.
“It is a challenge to balance everyone’s perspective to make this the best possible learning environment and that’s what we want at Stokes-Beard Elementary. I’ve also learned about grace. Everyone in this building is learning every day, including me, and we need to extend grace to everyone as they learn new skills and abilities,” said Francois.
Even with new responsibilities, Francois still has one thing that inspires her work.
“Seeing the light bulb come on, so to speak. When I see a student’s light bulb come on, and they get what we’ve been teaching them, it makes the world a brighter place,” said Francois.