Gillit joins BISD Third Grade Team

BISD welcomes Jenna Gillit Buffalo’s third graders may be an energetic bunch, but they will have nothing on their new teacher, Jenna Gillit. Ms Gillit jokingly describes herself as “effervescent! -- like an Alka Seltzer!” and is indeed a bubbly, high-energy young lady who is extremely excited about teaching. As a high school twirler back in Gladwater, Texas Jenna loved the spotlight and even dreamed of being an actress. The “teaching bug” altered her dreams, but she is equally enthusiastic about her new plans, stating, “Now I get to be Center Stage every day in Room 108 - fourteen sets of eyes on me!”

After graduating from high school as her class valedictorian, Ms Gillit attended Abilene Christian University, planning to become an Episcopal priest. A highlight of her education was studying abroad at Oxford, with travel in France and Italy. Volunteer work in a school brought out a love for teaching, and in 2008 Gillit graduated with a Bachelors degree in Ministries to Children and Families and a teaching certificate. Her first job was a one-year stint as a hospital chaplin in the NICU unit of Tyler’s Mother Frances Hospital. This assignment at Buffalo Elementary will be her first year as a teacher.

“I feel God honors ANY vocation as a calling if you are using the gifts and talents God gave you to the fullest,” Ms Gillit shared. Her own strength, she believes, will be the ability to give individual instruction, “working with small groups -- giving the students time and attention to really develop their skills and their talents.”

Jenna is a student of language, having studied Greek and Hebrew at ACU, and languages come easily to her. She is looking forward to learning Spanish and her next goal is to be a bi-lingual teacher. Other interests outside of the classroom include reading, crafts and cooking, and she loves chef shows.