This summer, Roanoke’s Hidden Valley High School hired a new Special Education Teacher and girls’ basketball coach, Samantha Webster.
The loss of 2 previous special education teachers last year opened a position for Webster to be present in the building, making it more convenient for everyone, seeing as she is the new head coach for the team.
Last May, the Lady Titans were in search of a new Varsity basketball head coach. After many interviews and applicants, Webster was ultimately the best fit. She previously was a Special Education teacher since 2016, and head JV basketball coach for 6 years at William Byrd Middle School. Getting the coaching job here at Hidden Valley was a big deciding factor to teach here also.
When asked about the biggest change from her old school William Byrd to her current school Hidden Valley, Webster said, “The independence of the students is a big change. At the middle school, the students need a lot of direct instruction, but here, you can tell people what to do and they just do it.”
The difference between middle school and high school is bigger than most realize, but Ms. Webster is adjusting to the change day by day.
Webster also said “One of the hardest parts about the transition has been the block scheduling. At the middle school, I’m used to having the same classes every day and the same kids every day, but here its different and its an adjustment.”
Although William Byrd and Hidden Valley are both schools of Roanoke County, they clearly have many differences.
Student and player Sophia Blasek (11) has Ms. Webster in one of her classes and said, “My favorite part of the class is how many opportunities there are to get all of my work done.”
Ms. Webster is very excited to teach and coach at Hidden Valley for this upcoming year, and she is very passionate about her career. There is no doubt that Hidden Valley High School is an exceptional fit for her.