Maggie Touralone, a first‑year classroom teacher at Brookside Elementary, told Worthington Schools podcast hosts Angie Adrian and Jeff Maddox that she saw measurable academic and social growth among her students and credited mentoring, colleagues and school culture for helping her through the year. "I have genuinely never met people that love kids more," Touralone said, describing colleagues who attend students' games, eat lunch with children and help run school events.

Touralone said one of her proudest classroom accomplishments was a cross‑curricular narrative writing project in which students produced "choose your own adventure" books and learned a publishing process. She described watching students who began the year reluctant to write become students who write at home and ask how they can improve. "He went from, 'I don't want to do this,' to, 'how can I grow in this,'" she said of one pupil.

The episode contextualized Touralone's experience within Worthington Schools. The district, which the hosts said is home to about 11,000 students and roughly 1,400 staff members, expects more than 2,000 students to attend summer school. Touralone also described Brookside staff support: she credited her principal, Jennie (principal, Brookside Elementary), and her mentor teacher Katie Eiseman for guiding classroom practice, parent conferences and testing logistics. "I would not be where I am today without Katie Eiseman," Touralone said.

Touralone described challenges she did not expect in year one, including the emotional impact on her class when several students left the school during the year. She said navigating students' grief and adjusting to classroom turnover required support from family, roommates who are teachers, and colleagues. On routine anxieties—like learning building traditions and locating rooms—Touralone advised new teachers to reach out early to colleagues, visit the building in advance and "give yourself grace" while learning day‑to‑day procedures.

On mentorship, Touralone described Worthington's first‑year teacher supports and an end‑of‑year celebration where first‑year teachers and mentors reflected together. She recommended that student teachers keep a written record of practices learned during student teaching and use cooperating and mentor teachers as ongoing resources: "Use them. Call them, email them, text them, whatever you need to do," she said.

Touralone also offered advice for job seekers: be patient, avoid comparisons with peers, learn from each interview and "be yourself" during hiring conversations. She said Worthington leaders told her they wanted someone who "just loves kids," which she called the clearest attribute hiring teams should seek.

The hosts noted Touralone will move from fourth grade to third grade at Brookside next year and that Brookside teachers and teams were part of the selection conversations. Touralone said she welcomed the change and expects her experience teaching fourth grade to help prepare incoming third graders for year‑end expectations.

The conversation included classroom details and lighter segments — classroom snacks, summer plans and a rapid‑fire questions round — but the episode primarily focused on Touralone's classroom projects, student growth, mentorship and practical advice for new teachers entering Worthington Schools.

Worthington Schools is continuing hiring and summer programming; Touralone and hosts emphasized relationships, mentorship and school culture as central supports for early‑career teachers.