I would like to honor and highlight Ms. Malgard from Marshall Elementary because she is not just a teacher, but one of God's angels who loved my baby boy like her own. My son, Jacarri, is autistic and started school around the time he was first diagnosed. He was just starting to become verbal, but often times he would only make sounds or fiddle with his ears to tell you what he needed or how he was feeling. Most people did not understand this or in some cases did not want to understand what is was Jacarri was asking for, but Ms. Malgard did and she did so consistently. She saw an innocent child when she looked at him, not a diagnosis, not his sensitivities or the noticeable differences between him and his peers. Because of this, he gravitated to her quickly and began to affectionately call her "Ms. Galgod" as only he could due to his struggles with speech. She paid attention to him and all that I had shared about Jacarri to ensure he had a successful school year, which gave me peace of mind as well. Ms. Malgard took the time to see how he learned and used those methods specifically to teach him in a way he would understand through puzzles, art and music, even buying some things on her own because consideration for her students always extended past regular school hours. This additional support helped build not only his confidence and speech, but allowed his strengths and personality to shine through. Even on the hard days, Ms. Malgard guided and supported her babies no matter the circumstances. One day, Jacarri was struggling to take a nap and refused to sleep unless Ms. Malgard was right there. She came in and calmed him down as only she could and eventually he laid down, holding onto her ankle to make sure she didn't leave and she never did even after he had fallen asleep. To wake up and see that Ms. Galgod was still there gave Jacarri a sense of security and allowed him to remain calm throughout the rest of the day. It's the little things like this that mean the most to a child who is misunderstood by many. And as a mother you never forget the teachers who go above and beyond for your baby. This was just one of the many times Ms. Malgard was so patient and loving to my sweet Jacarri, and I hope and pray she knows I remember them all. Those moments mean just as much now as they did then. We cried during his graduation ceremony because we weren't sure what the next school year would look like without our dear Ms. Malgard being there. You were a candle that lit the way for my baby, you helped shape his world as he knows it today because he now wants to be a teacher and he knows no limits despite his diagnosis. Our students, our babies and the world needs more "Ms. Galgods" to see them for the shining stars they can be in a world that may only want to place them in a box. Ms. Malgard, if you get this message, thank you. At a time where I was struggling as a mother to navigate in this new world of autism and what that meant for my son, you held not just my baby's hand, but mine as well. I can't thank you enough and you will forever be in our hearts. We love you dearly💚