For Tondia Ferracci, a veteran teacher for 16 years, a new school year means a new role.

Ferracci, a Belhaven graduate, will be lead teacher at Bowmar Elementary School when school resumes in August.

“It’s easy for the teachers to get overwhelmed,” she said. “There’s so much for the teachers to do.”

Ferracci said her role is essentially to provide resources for the teachers, coach and basically serve the teachers.

“You have to have a servant’s heart,” she said. “You’re working for them.”

Ferracci said teachers really don’t get summers off because they’re busy planning, researching and gathering materials.

“They just need someone who can efficiently help them do their job better,” she said. “Basically my whole perspective about education is it’s not about convenience for the teachers, it’s not about the adults, it’s not about the administration, but it’s about the kids.”

Ferracci said she focuses on the bigger picture and has a lot of ideas for building on the existing school spirit at Bowmar.

“We want to have that school spirit and school-wide activities,” she said. “For instance, the first thing I wanted to do is have a teacher work day at Warner-Tully.”

The event will help with team building and form cohesion with new staff members, Ferracci said.

With her new role, Ferracci said she won’t be teaching classes, but she still may teach some lessons.

“I can go in and do a model lesson,” she said. “What I don’t feel comfortable in we use other teachers in.”

Before accepting the role of lead teacher, Ferracci taught various elementary school grades and was a STEM lab teacher. This year will be Ferracci’s 14th year at Bowmar.

Ferracci said she decided to go into teaching because it was a passion.

“I didn’t look at a brochure,” she said. “I knew I wanted to work with kids.”

Outside of school Ferracci enjoys spending time with her family — husband Johnny and daughters Eve and Elli — and photography. Ferracci also teaches growth groups at Crossway Church.

“I’m definitely career oriented,” she said. “Most of the time I’m at the school.”