Carly Gale may be from snowy New York, but she’s no fan of winter weather. A fifth-grade teacher at West Pine Elementary, Carly was as uncomfortable as any resident of Moore County during the recent freeze that slowed things in the area.
The mother of three, originally from Fayetteville, N.Y. – outside of Syracuse – was shivering along with most locals when temperatures dipped.
“I’m not used to the cold weather,” Carly said.
Syracuse usually has six storms, each bringing more than five inches of snow per day, every year. It has been ranked second in the nation, by reputable sources, when it comes to snowfall totals.
As an undergrad at Roanoke College – in Salem, Va. – Carly was able to escape the heart of winter’s wrath for four years. A member of the volleyball team at Roanoke, she returned to Central New York after graduating.
Her goal, heading to college, was to be an athletic trainer. Certain aspects of that profession left her looking elsewhere.
“I didn’t like the medicine part of athletic training,” she said. “After graduating, I started substitute teaching. I loved it.”
Realizing her fondness for teaching, Carly earned a pair of master’s degrees, one in childhood education, the other in students with disabilities. Armed with the graduate degrees, from Syracuse University, and having proved herself as a long-term substitute, she began teaching on a full-time basis.
“I taught for three years in New York, a year in Cumberland County, and three years in Moore County,” Carly said.
She’s found a niche teaching ELA (English Language Arts) to students at a couple of levels.
“They make it fun,” Carly said. “I like fourth and fifth grade the best. We have a lot of discussions in class. I like making them laugh.
“I really like that age group. They still think their teacher is kind of cool. I know they like me because my daughter (a student at West Pine) tells me all the time.”
Students in each of the three fifth-grade blocks at the school rotate through Carly’s classroom for instruction.
“We started the school year with two (blocks),” she said. “But we got a new block before Thanksgiving break.”
While Carly’s in her third year teaching ELA, she doesn’t hesitate to ask questions when faced with something new. The group around her makes that easy.
“I was lucky enough to be placed on a team of seasoned teachers,” she said. “If they can’t answer, they’ll reach out to someone who can.”
Adjustment is constant in many fields, education being one of them. A willingness to adapt is key.
“The teaching world is always changing,” Carly said. “It’s absolutely an evolving career.”
When not at school, Carly likes spending time with her kids, whether at home or while driving them to activities. She also reads and adheres to an exercise regimen.
“I workout six days a week,” she said. “That’s my stress relief.”
If you have a teacher you would like to nominate to be showcased in this series, please email [email protected].
Feature photo: Garly Gale poses with her eldest daughter, Landyn Gale. Photo contributed.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel reporter Dave Lukow. Dave has been honored as both a lyricist and screenwriter. Among other publications he’s contributed to are the Buffalo News, JD Journal, Beckett Hockey, Seminole Player’s Life, Poker Pro, Walmart World, and All In.
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