Sabrina Rideau is the dean of students and the curriculum director at Holy Family Academy. She often tutors students at the school and last year she taught a second-grade class.

“My heart is always in the classroom,” says Rideau, who has been teaching since 2010. She taught preK at another school, and also previously taught kindergarten through second grade and special education.

“I always knew I wanted to do something helping others,” says Rideau. The Phoenix native says that as a Catholic, she knew early on that she wanted a career helping people, and that she soon realized that she wanted to work with kids.

Rideau was nominated by student David, who was in her class last spring and appreciated that his teacher let the class have parties. David’s father notes that Rideau gifted his son with something much more valuable than fun free time. He wrote, “David’s teacher did an amazing job after taking over halfway through the year. He was struggling greatly in every subject, and she taught him so many skills for adapting to his unique needs.”

Rideau explains that she has a soft spot for students who have special needs, not only based on her teaching experience but because she herself copes with OCD and ADHD.

“I wish kids who are struggling knew it gets so much easier,” says Rideau. “It’s okay to think differently. There’s nothing wrong with your brain,” she says, and adds that students need to have the skills necessary to learn their own way.

Rideau has four boys. Between them and her husband, who is a high school football coach, she says she spends a lot of time on a field or court of some sort.

Wherever Rideau is, “You will always find me with a sketchbook,” she says. “I love to draw and paint.” She also enjoys drawing comics, but the comics are just for her she says. Rideau says that English was her favorite subject when she was in school, and now reading is her favorite thing to teach.

The most important lesson she teaches, Rideau says, is that “everything we do starts with love.” This allows students to have more compassion for one another, she explains, and it is the outlook that she employs when she teaches. When everyone comes from a place of love, Rideau says, teachers give assignments that help students grow and students who struggle can find the environment and approach that will help them succeed.