Classroom Conversations: Ms. Jones and Bella
One of the first faces to greet you at United Elementary 17th St. is Ms. Avery Jones, Office Coordinator. As you walk through the halls, it won’t be long until you see another smiling face — whether singing at a Talent Show performance or leading a classroom in discussion, 4th-grade student Bella is an enthusiastic presence on campus. When The Huddle asked Ms. Jones for an interview, there was no doubt that she knew the perfect person to speak about her experiences with eagerness.
As soon as she walked through the door, Bella expressed her excitement about the opportunity, as she loves her school so much.
The pair sat in cozy library bean bag chairs for a conversation about after-school programming, favorite memories from the past year, and always being your Polar Bear BEST.
The Huddle: Can you introduce yourselves? And, Ms. Jones, why did you select Bella to chat with today?
Ms. Jones: My name is Ms. Jones, I'm the Office Coordinator here at 17th St. I've been here for two years now, and I decided to choose Bella because she is the most bubbly, outgoing, effervescent person that I have met here at this school!
Bella: I believe it!
The Huddle: And the most confident.
Ms. Jones: And the most confident.
Bella: My name is Bella, and my homeroom is Ms. Jordan's room right to the right of us, and I'm in fourth grade.
Ms. Jones: Our staff took over for the after-school care program when [our partner] had to leave halfway through the year. Our staff all pitched in to step in and help run it so that the students didn't lose their access to after-school care. Bella's been going this entire year to after-school care; she has been a bright spot. She really helps the younger kids and shows them what to do. She's a big leader. We have a rewards chart back there where they earn stickers every day for good behavior, and Bella has not missed a single day.
Bella: Except for the days I was absent, if there was a good reason! I love to be in the after-school program. I think [supporting the younger kids] is a way I can express kindness and positivity and hope and joy and all that good stuff to the rest of my community at the school!
Ms. Jones: Alright, Ms. Bella! What’s been your favorite memory from this year, during or after school? And from elementary school as a whole?
Bella: My favorite from this year is probably when we were in after-school with you guys, and I remember we did this one fun Friday. It was tie-dye shirt day. I loved doing that because I thought it was just a way of embracing myself with colors, uniqueness, and all that. I think that was my favorite part of this year, and then my favorite part of this school as a whole is every student I get to meet and how I get to meet them! Because every student I have met, there's always been a different story or a different place or a different situation.
Like, one time, my friend and I met at the beginning of second grade. We were in the same grade and were both on the black top outside of our school; someone tripped him by accident, and he was sitting on the ground because he was new here and he didn't have any friends. So, I went over there and asked, "Hey, what's your name?" And he told me his name, and I was like, "Okay, that's cool—my name's Bella. I saw you were kind of upset over here. I think you're new here because I've never really seen you here. So, do you want me to be your first friend at United?" And he was like "Sure!"
Ever since then, we've just been friends, and right now he's in the other fourth-grade class in the University of Kentucky homeroom. He's my best friend. I love him.
Ms. Jones: I love those things about you, Bella. You are so loving and empathetic, it's fantastic.
Bella: I try my best!
Ms. Jones: You do!
Bella: What did you do before this job?
Ms. Jones: What did I do before this job? Well, I did a couple of different things.
Bella: What was your favorite thing?
Ms. Jones: My favorite thing that I did — that's a tossup. In high school, I worked at our public library.
Bella: Oh, I love libraries.
Ms. Jones: They're fantastic. I got to read a whole bunch, I got to learn about new books, and I got to just see all the resources that they have at libraries, which was fantastic. Then, when I was an adult, I worked at the YMCA, helped with their programming, and did storytime-for-kids activities. One of my very good friends put together a gaming room for kids for Mario Kart competitions and Super Smash. So I helped him when he created a program incorporating fitness with gaming as the reward system for being healthy and working out. Having a space where they could come and game for free!
Bella: That seems awesome! Okay, can I ask a question?
Ms. Jones: You can ask another question, if you want!
Bella: What do you like most about your job? Do you like mostly getting to help students during the school day and making them feel better because you're the nurse? What is your favorite thing, either during the day at school or after school?
Ms. Jones: I love getting to talk to you guys every single day. You always say something that makes me laugh, and you guys always say something that makes me think about what's going on at the school…
Bella: … What's going on in their day…
Ms. Jones: … what's going on in their day, their classrooms? I love getting to know you guys, I love getting to know your parents, your siblings, and your families, and being able to help you guys when you need it. Helping you when you're not feeling well, when you're feeling sick, or helping your families when you need something…
Bella: Like a school shirt!
Ms. Jones: … like a school shirt. Like shoes, backpacks — I love doing all those things!
Ms. Jones: What do you like to do outside of school?
Bella: I play softball, gymnastics, cheerleading, and I'm going to get into volleyball this summer!
Ms. Jones: A packed schedule!
Bella, smiling: I can handle it. I used to do ballet, too.
We have this park — you can walk there, and I do that almost every weekend with my mom. We go with my mom and my stepdad, and we go there, and he knows about baseball. He played it when he was in high school and college, so he always helps me with some pointers, like how to throw the ball, or if I'm on the wrong leg when I'm throwing it, or how to catch it, or the ready stance. Any of that! So, I love doing that, and I love just spending time with my dogs, my family, and my guinea pigs.
Ms. Jones: How many guinea pigs do you have? Two? [Bella nods.] What are their names?
Bella: Angel and Nugget!
Ms. Jones: Oh, that's adorable!
Ms. Jones: What’s your favorite subject?
Bella, immediately: History.
Ms. Jones: You were right off the bat with that one! No contest! Okay, why do you like history so much?
Bella: I love history because I love learning about the different things that came before humankind or animal kind or anything before that. It just gives us more context clues on how the world became before any humans, dinosaurs, animals, or anything else. For example, when I first learned about the dinosaurs, my jaw dropped! [Ms. Jones: Yeah!] Because, right now, we have dogs, we have cats — that's normal to us, but we've never thought about dinosaurs or megalodons or anything like that. I think it's really awesome how people can learn about that without even being there.
Ms. Jones: Yeah! If you could have any dinosaur for a pet, what would it be?
Bella: That's a hard one! I love dinosaurs so much. My favorite one is probably a stegosaurus!
Ms. Jones: That’s a good one!
Bella: Do you have a favorite memory from your time working here?
Ms. Jones: My most favorite and recent memory was the talent show. That was so fun to watch because we didn't get to do it last year, so I loved seeing you guys all pull together and show us all of your awesome talents. I think my favorite part of that was when I was sitting next to you guys and helping you guys get in order to go on the stage…
Bella: I was right next to you!
Ms. Jones: You were right next to me! What I remember most is that you and all the other kids who were waiting to go on the stage, when somebody was finished, you all made sure to…
Bella: They were nervous!
Ms. Jones: Everybody was nervous! But when everybody was finished, you would clap. You would stand up, you would shout for them, and you'd offer them a hug when they came off the stage, and I just love that you guys all came together to support each other during that.
Bella: That guy friend that I was talking about earlier, how I met him, he did a dance with my other friend who's in fifth grade. He was doing a hip-hop dance. When he was done, I stood up from my chair, and I was just like "Go! Go, bestie, go." I was just clapping; I was like, "You got this! Good job!" He and she were coming over, hugging each other. I gave both of them a hug, and they just did great
The Huddle: For context, The Huddle was able to attend the Talent Show and, if I’m not mistaken, you were in it! Do you want to tell us what you did for your talent display?
Bella: Yes! I sang a song!
Ms. Jones: You sang two songs, actually!
Bella: Yes, I sang a duet with my friend from my fourth-grade class. We have been best friends since we were in kindergarten, and we did a duet song. We sang “In the Name of Love,” and then I sang by myself the very popular song “Die with a Smile.” There were three other people there singing it!
Ms. Jones: What is your biggest goal for the rest of the school year? All eleven days that we have left!
Bella: My biggest goal is for people to continue telling me better ways I can improve for next school year and better ways that I can tell them to improve next year, so we can all come back bigger, better, and stronger!
Ms. Jones: I love that.
Bella: Okay, so, I heard you have a dog…?
Ms. Jones: I do!
Bella: A St. Bernard?
Ms. Jones: I do have a St. Bernard!
Bella: If you could get any other pet, just to have, too, what would it be?
Ms. Jones: Now, I will say, Bruce counts as a horse, basically, with the size that he is!
Bella: My mom always wanted a St. Bernard! She wants a St. Bernard puppy! We already have two dogs and two guinea pigs! And — plus her boyfriend!
Ms. Jones, laughing: “And — plus her boyfriend?”
Bella: And — plus me!
Ms. Jones: And, plus you! That's a lot in one household! You know, we have two cats, the dog, and then two of us.
Bella: I'm sure [the cats and the dog] don't like each other that much.
Ms. Jones: They love each other. [Bella: Oh, my gosh! Really?] They are all brothers, yep!
Bella: I'm allergic to cats! I can't have one!
Ms. Jones: That's tough.
Bella: I used to always want one! My dad has a cat, and I go there every other weekend. I don't know why, but as soon as I pet her, my face starts itching! I can't itch my face because then it will start itching even more, and I'll start sneezing and coughing and blah blah blah! It's a lot.
Ms. Jones: You want to know a secret? I also have pet allergies, and they're just not so bad — I just take an allergy pill every day! ‘Cuz I love my pets!
Bella: My mom is way worse than me, trust me. If she even touches a cat with one finger…
Ms. Jones: Sometimes it's not worth it, but you can always look at pictures! From afar!
Bella: Perfect!
Ms. Jones: But, if you're asking what pet I would like in addition to the zoo that I already have, I would probably say, honestly, they're not good pets, you should never have one as a pet, but I would love a monkey.
Bella: Oh my gosh, I want a finger monkey so bad!
Ms. Jones: Or a polar bear! Imagine having a polar bear. So cute!
Bella: What’s the hardest part of your job, and how do you handle it?
Ms. Jones: It's a good question! Time management. It can be really tough when I've got somebody sick, and I've got the phone ringing because a parent needs to talk to me, and I've got somebody coming into the office, and I've got attendance that needs to be done!
Bella: With all the other people in the office, it's a lot of work! It's a bunch of anxiety pushing up on you and trying to push you down, but, as strong as you are, you get right back up!
Ms. Jones: Well, thank you, Bella! That’s very sweet.
Bella: I’ve seen you handle it before.
Ms. Jones: I love you! Thank you!
Ms. Jones: One more question for Ms. Bella… what’s your dream college or career? What do you want to be when you grow up?
Bella: Firefighter!
Ms. Jones: Tell me a little bit more. Why do you want to be a firefighter?
Bella: Well, either a firefighter, a police officer, or in the military. I don't know if you’ve ever seen the show 911. [Ms. Jones: Mhmm!] It's a show about firefighters and police officers, and there are just a bunch of teams. The head police officer and the head firefighter are married, so everyone on the team has always been close to each other. They're always looking out for each other, and every time someone calls in because they need help, they'll always go together. They're all just a united front whenever someone needs help or is in trouble. No one's ever yelling at the other person; they're always trying to help and calm down people that are around them.
I think it's just amazing how people are so affectionate and how confident they are with showing people how much they mean to them without even knowing them. Like, say I'm a firefighter and someone calls in because they're they're stuck on a swing, because the swing is really high: I'm going to bring my ladder there, I'm gonna help them down, and, of course, they're going to be like, “Thank you so much you're the best.”
Usually, it won't mean that much when you don't help someone because it's not your job, but when it is your job, I feel like that spark is just there. You feel the connection of helping someone and knowing that they're going to be okay because, even though you don't know them, they're still humans just like you, and they deserve to be appreciated, loved, and liked.
Ms. Jones: They do! That was a beautiful answer.
The Huddle: What do you appreciate most about each other?
Bella: I would say how you always welcome the kids here into the Polar Bear family, even if they are new, and you don't judge them. It doesn't matter what they look like or how they speak or anything like that.
Ms. Jones: You’re going to make me cry, Bella! Oh! Alright, my one word would be your heart.
Bella: My heart’s so warm right now!
The Huddle: What do you love about your school? If you were to talk to the supporters of your school, what would you say to them?
Ms. Jones: I think my absolute favorite thing about this school is how everybody comes to this building trying to be their best, every single day. Kids like you. Teachers like Mrs. Jordan, Mr. Mac, Ms. Johnson; they all come to school to help you guys be your best, and they try to be their best, too. I think that really shows when we're here day-to-day. I've been here two years, and I've seen it through those two years that we're all really just trying to come together as a team to work together to make things better here.
Bella. Beautiful!
I've been here for 4 years, since kindergarten. I used to go to this old school, and they were super strict. That was when I was in Pre-K, so, of course, they had to be strict on us because we were little. When I moved to this school and I met my first set of friends, my first set of teachers, my first classroom, I realized in the moment that this is where I belong. I couldn't imagine myself at any other school than United Elementary 17th Street. This school is the place where you get to be yourself, you get to have fun, you get to learn, and you get to be your Polar Bear BEST! You get to: Be responsible, you get to Empathize, you get to Show self-control, and you get to Try your best. Always. The B, the E, the S, and the T. I love being here!
Ms. Jones: Snaps for Bella!
[The Huddle and Ms. Jones snap.]
Once the recorder was turned off, Bella thanked Ms. Jones for picking her for the interview. Ms. Jones informs her that she was the perfect person to do this. For their picture, Bella immediately ran to a stuffed animal polar bear on one of the bookshelves to pose with, and the two naturally made their way to the polar bear art on the far wall.
Thank you to Ms. Jones and Bella for sitting down with The Huddle and embodying the BEST of Polar Bear spirit—your shared passion for school and community reflects the warmth, care, and engagement that help our network thrive.
Connection is a hallmark of United culture, and this is a glimpse into the dialogues that define our campuses.
