Class Act: Giddings High School teacher makes her students "feel like family"

GIDDINGS, Texas - A student at Giddings High School nominated his teacher for a FOX 7 Class Act, saying she makes her students "feel like family."

Saundra Morris is a ninth-grade English and Language Arts teacher at Giddings and her passion and commitment aren't lost on her students.

That's why freshman Carlos Lopez-Rodea reached out to FOX 7 Austin and said Morris is a "Class Act".

"She trusts us like a family, basically. No one can get made fun of in her class - she'll get on you for that. She'll stick up for you. She's got your back. If you're struggling at home - you can talk to her and she'll get you through it," Lopez-Rodea said.

Morris has been a teacher for more than 25 years, but this is her first year at Giddings High School. Before that, she taught reading to eighth-graders for four years at Giddings Middle School.

When Morris found out she had been nominated, she said it "absolutely blows my mind".

"It's something that every teacher wants to know - is that they've actually made a difference in a kid's life," Morris said.

The students aren't her only fans. GHS Principal Chad Rood said he's proud to be her principal.

"I'm proud she's a teacher at Giddings High School - because she doesn't get the top students," Rood said. "She doesn't get the AP students - and she's okay with that. She likes working with students who need more help -and, she's perfectly fine with that - and, they love her for it. They really do."

Rood says that's one of the hallmarks of being a great teacher.

 "The rapport with my students has always been my number one goal - simply because if the kids, if you don't have a good relationship with them, they're not going to care if they learn anything from you or not," Morris said.

If there's a student, teacher or educational program you think FOX 7 Austin should know about send an email to fox7schools@foxtv.com.