Maryville City Schools welcomes 35 with New Teacher Breakfast

Maryville City Schools welcomes 35 with New Teachers Breakfast 

Maryville Daily Times 

By: Rebecca Raney 

7/26/25 

With a new school semester just weeks away, Maryville City Schools officials invited the district’s 35 new hires to join them and MCS Foundation and city of Maryville representatives for an annual welcoming tradition Friday morning, with a twist. 

Hosted at Skyview at Broadway Social, 101 E Broadway Ave., the MCS New Teachers Breakfast started as it traditionally has. As lines formed to receive hot breakfast plates, the morning fog gradually gave way to streaming sunlight and chatter among new and old hands filled the third-floor loft room. 

Around 8 a.m., system administrators took up the microphone for introductions and welcome blessings. Then came the keynote speaker. 

This year, for what seemed to be the first time, MCS Director Mike Winstead announced that their keynote address would be delivered not by an administrator or motivational speaker, but rather by a colleague. Maryville High School English Teacher Rachel Rushworth-Hollander, best known for her love of all things Harry Potter and her former students’ handprints ringing her classroom, took the podium, and she brought friends. 

It’s unlikely the newest hires were expecting to receive their embarking words of wisdom from Yoda, Bluey and Kermit the Frog, but the way Rushworth-Hollander weaved lessons of resilience, compassion and camaraderie from these beloved pop-culture icons kept attendees’ attention, even when it seemed Kermit was more interested in a quick nap. 

“I know we will do, instead of try, I trust those people around us will give us ice cream when we need it and I hope you will find some people to work alongside you here in Maryville that will make this newest leap in your career the best one yet,” said Rushworth-Hollander in closing. 

Finally, to celebrate their upcoming 35th anniversary, MCS Foundation Executive Director Mary Beth Martin had a game in store; after revealing a check for $3,500, she told new hires that under each of their seats was a number. Whoever found the number 35 would win. 

It didn’t take long before every new teacher was on his or her feet, and the game was up. According to Martin, to celebrate the serendipitous hiring of the same number of teachers as years the foundation had been in operation, the MCS Foundation board decided to award “$100 mini-grants” to each incoming teacher. 

With that last surprise, MCS Director of Curriculum and Instruction Amy Vagnier closed out the breakfast welcome with one final wish for the teachers future, continued successes.