Amidst more than 3300 students, multiple new educators joined the team for the 2024-2025 school year. Deborah Hunt, coming from Fort Bend ISD, is among the large group of new and passionate teachers joining Fulshear High School.
Teaching health science and the advisor of HOSA, Hunt brings a diverse background, ranging from providing medical assistance to advocating for wider access to health care.
“My pathway to education was not my first choice. Both of my parents were school teachers and I was like, ‘oh I’m not going to school, going to be a school teacher’,” Hunt said. “So I went into the medical field. I have a MBA in healthcare administration. I’ve worked as a medical assistant giving injections, drawing blood, vital signs. And then I worked my way up the career ladder becoming director of admissions at a psychiatric hospital. I have been director of operations for a federal qualifying healthcare center where we gave care to people who didn’t have health insurance.”
Despite the highly rewarding career, Hunt ultimately ended up in the education field.
“(I) made a discovery about one of my kids that he was highly functioning autistic,” Hunt said. “I said, ‘okay, I can’t travel the world anymore fighting for healthcare’. And I started teaching and I realized I did have a passion for it [education], to share my knowledge in healthcare with other students. I started off teaching in higher education at Houston Community College and then I transitioned to secondary education”
Upon entering the district, Hunt immediately noticed a difference from her previous school. From later start times to a welcoming staff, the change is best summarized by her experience at Convocation, a kick off event for the LCISD staff.
“I was amazed at Convocation; that was my favorite thing. It was so much fun,” Hunt said. “I’ve never been to a convocation that was energized and where the leadership team showed that they valued their teachers. So that was wonderful, just to walk in and feel the energy.”
Hunt went on to describe the different components and groups that made the experience so memorable.
“The drum line (was there), then the cheerleaders were there welcoming us. The different dance teams from all of the high schools were there,” Hunt said. “They played some hip hop music, which I love. (…)To see the energy, not only of the drum line, the dance and the cheerleaders, the skit that they did to show that we were on a mission to really educate our students, [that] the time is now [was great].”
Following the lively introduction to the district, Hunt is starting the year with big plans and high hopes.
“(…) I’m excited about getting these students (in pharmacology) ready to pass their certification exam, so they can be a pharmacy technician, once they finish it,” Hunt said. “In the next few coming weeks, I’m [also] looking forward to building relationships with the students, [and] with my colleagues. I’m looking forward to, of course, HOSA.”
For HOSA, the biggest thing for her is getting the club into full swing and attending competitions.
“My plan for us is to get started with practicing for competition right away,” Hunt said. “I’ve been fortunate that while I was in Fort Bend, I had an area officer every year. This year, I had three students to make area officers. So, I would like to bring that same energy here to Fulshear, only if the students are interested in doing that extra work.”
In both her classes and HOSA, the most important point Hunt would like to get across is that her students will always be welcome. She hopes to cultivate a positive environment in everything she does this year.
“[I want the students to know] that they are welcomed in my classroom, that they are loved and supported,” Hunt said. “And if they’re having a bad day, just say, hey, I need a moment and we can work through it.”
From being welcomed into the school staff to creating her own welcoming environment, Hunt’s impact may be new, but is already occurring. Out of everything she does this year, it is to better the Fulshear area. As Hunt said, “I’m not looking for anything from the community. I’m here to serve the community.”
