HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Lisa Farrell is beloved by her students and colleagues at the Eaton Fundamental Middle School in Hampton, where she went to school as a child and is now its band director.
“I’ve been in band since sixth grade. She is a very amazing, trustworthy person, and I really like to talk to her. She’s actually one of my favorite teachers,” said Nylah Thomas, an 8th grader who plays baritone.
Farrell holds rehearsals before and after school on her own time. She coordinates with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra to provide master classes for her honors band students, and she also offers guidance to new teachers about improving the climate of the classroom.
“She’s an excellent teacher, and she always pushes us to our absolute max excellence,” said Syncere Smith, 8th grade percussion. “That basically inspired me to go on to higher bands like the Kecoughtan Marching Band and the Hampton City Schools Jazz Band.”
“Seeing how far she got in life with music so far and knowing that she’s been doing this and she’s been doing this since she was my age,” said Victoria Winter, 8th grade percussion, “it’s just really inspiring, and it shows me that like, hey, I can do the same stuff too, and I can be like her.”
Farrell says it’s all about relationships with students.
“When the students walk in the room, and they know you genuinely care, you want the best for them, even on the hardest days,” Farrell said. “They shrug that away and focus on what is most important. So if you have that relationship, and the students really trust that you are there for them, then they’re going to meet that energy.”
This is what Hampton City Schools had to say about Farrell:
Mrs. Farrell consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that her students thrive in her classroom. In addition to her scheduled classes, Mrs. Farrell holds before and after-school sectionals to ensure all students achieve at the highest level. She coordinates with members of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra to provide masterclasses for her students, consistently has over forty students in the Hampton City Schools Honor Band, and her bands have received superior ratings throughout her entire career.
Mrs. Farrell serves as the Culture and Climate Facilitator for Eaton. In this role, she observes new and novice teachers, and provides suggestions on how to improve the climate of the classroom. During a staff professional development, Mrs. Farrell gave a presentation on Social Emotional Learning to her colleagues. Furthermore, Mrs. Farrell talked about the importance of building relationships with the students as she shared strategies that she has successfully implemented in her classroom.
As a Hampton City School graduate and accomplished musician, Mrs. Farrell has performed with the Virginia Wind Symphony and Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra. She brings this real-world experience into her teaching, enriching students’ understanding of professional music performance.
Mrs. Lisa Farrell is an excellent educator as she works collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that Eaton’s students and staff have the best resources at their disposal.