Val Hardwell was recently chosen as the “2024 District Teacher of the Year”. Val is a dyslexia therapist at East Side and was also selected as East Side Teacher of the Year. She did her student teaching at McNeil Elementary School. Hardwell graduated from Southern Arkansas University with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education in 2001. She thoroughly enjoyed her undergraduate years at SAU, so she continued her education by pursuing and obtaining her master’s degree in Elementary Education in 2009. She has been working for the Magnolia School District for 19 years.
In her leisure time, Val enjoys spending time with her husband, Tony, and her family. She also loves to spend time in a volunteer ministry, reading, football, and all things involving music.
Her goal as a teacher is to see the hidden potential of all her students. She became a teacher because of the stellar examples of teachers within her family. Val is also forever impacted by the positive, loving, and motivating teachers that she’s been privileged to have been instructed by from kindergarten to college.
Val is joyfully humbled to be selected by the District teachers who labor so tirelessly to provide all students with a quality education. She’s extremely grateful to be recognized as the East Side Teacher of the Year and District Teacher of the Year. She considers it an honor to work in the Magnolia School District.