Good schoolteachers are worth their weight in gold. Our area has many 14-karat teachers in local classrooms.

But our area also has a number of great teachers whose expertise and love of teaching make them priceless.

West Primary School kindergarten teacher Kirby Watts is one of those special ones.

Watts, recently recognized as outstanding educator by the Mississippi Teachers Association, is truly a role model for young teachers beginning their careers.

Teaching should not be considered a job option. Teaching is a calling.

And Watts has the gift.

Talk to her a bit about her teaching style and you’ll see how engaged she is, not only with the students, but also with their parents.

She estimates that she speaks with a parent of one of her pupils at least once a day.

That’s the kind of work and dedication we need more of in our nation, state and community.

For too long the adage, “if you can’t do anything else, you can teach” became commonly understood as the truth.

Today, we’re seeing the results of that across the country as our nation lags some other developed countries on many measurements of education.

In short, we need more people like Mrs. Watts developing and engaging young minds early on and throughout their school years.