Ms. Schaar possesses the rare ability to transform a student's entire academic identity by meeting them exactly where they are with empathy and insight. Before joining her classroom at Nora Elementary, my daughter felt defeated by mathematics, believing she simply wasn't "good at it." Ms. Schaar started shifting that narrative during our very first school tour, sharing her passion for math as a universal language that transcends barriers and connects us all. By fostering an environment where numbers felt accessible rather than intimidating, she replaced my daughter's anxiety with genuine curiosity. It certainly didn't hurt that Ms. Schaar shares the classroom with her therapy dog, Odie; my daughter is such a dog lover that having a furry co-teacher every Friday probably made even the most challenging math equations feel like a treat. After just one year under her guidance, my daughter has gone from dreading the subject to declaring math on of her favorites - a testament to Ms. Schaar's profound impact and her gift gift for helping students flourish.