When asked about teachers at Judah Christian School, nearly every student mentions Miss Rice as a foundation to their learning. Miss Rice has been one of the backbones of Judah since 2004, and she is an essential part of the formative years of math. She teaches seventh-grade math, eighth-grade math, and geometry, along with life skills that every student needs.
But how did Miss Rice end up at Judah, and what’s kept her here for so long?
After gaining initial experience subbing, Miss Rice started her teaching career across the world in Okinawa, Japan, at Okinawa International Christian School. It was different from schools in the United States, but Miss Rice can still see the similarities between her school in Japan and Judah, including speaking English. She said, “I liked that they had the same level of respect our students do, although not for the same reason. Theirs is a societal expectation. But it is the same level of respect and the same level of effort. I was in a Christian school, so I could talk about God. It was as much evangelistic as educational, because most students were not from Christian families, though a few of them were.”
Seventeen years later, Miss Rice returned to the United States and learned of a teaching position at Judah. She applied and soon became the teacher she is today.
As an instructor notorious for being strict among her students, Miss Rice has her own thoughts on her classroom rules. Acknowledging her strongly implemented practices, Miss Rice said, “We all have things to work on, because no one is perfect. But sometimes, what someone sees as me being mean is maybe just me helping them learn a self-discipline. They feel like it’s mean at the time, and then they find out later on that it was a really good thing and they’re glad it happened. When they get older, they take the parts of what I teach that work and adapt them. No one does binders when they’re a senior the same way they did binders in seventh grade.”
This sentiment has been repeated by many students over the years, as they still use the skills that Miss Rice taught them. Clayton Wacker, a senior at Judah, put it best: “Miss Rice has a system. If you follow the system, you learn. If you don’t follow the system, the system runs you over.”
Although many would describe Miss Rice as a math wiz, she humbly disagrees. She says that “I’m really glad I chose math, and now, I really like it. But I’m not the best math person. Mrs. Behrends is miles beyond my capabilities. I never got As until my second year of college, but I finally figured out how to study. I think I can explain things, so if I understand it, I can pass it on to somebody else. I know where the hard parts are because it was hard for me too.”
When reflecting back on her 20 years at Judah, Miss Rice had a few things in mind. She's often encouraged by the Judah students and Judah leadership. In reference to her favorite thing about teaching at Judah, she said, “I think the interactions with the students. I love watching light bulbs go on. I love watching students figuring things out and realizing they can get it — realizing that they can put two and two together and get four every time.”
Judah leadership over the years has also kept her here. She appreciates their focus on God in every decision, saying, “I like the direction the school is taking. With every cultural change that comes, they see if it’s biblical. If it’s not biblical, they don’t plan on going in that direction, even if push comes to shove and the state says, ‘You have to.’ No, we don’t. We do what we believe is true and right by God, and if it works with the state, we’re happy. When they start asking us to do something that’s against God’s will, we’re not going down that path. I value that about Judah. I value the parents and leadership who stick to it.”
At the end of her interview, Miss Rice said what she loves most about Judah: “Freedom to talk about God and his truth. Being able to partner with parents who are raising their children to love and honor God in all that they do.”
As Judah Christian School teaches through and beyond its 40th year, it’s important to recognize those who have dedicated their lives here. Miss Rice has laid the groundwork for many students’ success, and the Judah community appreciates all that she has done.
—Hannah Jackson, class of ’24
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