Fordham Family Times

My name is Natasha Watford, and I am the Inclusion Teacher at Fordham Early Learning Academy. Before joining the Fordham family, I had been a teacher in Citrus county and then here in Marion county at Eighth Street Elementary for eight years, teaching many different grade levels.

I grew up in England (Yes, England, UK!) My family and I moved to Florida in 2004, and ever since, this has been home.

I met my husband, Jered, here, and we got married in 2015. We welcomed our son, Hayden, into our family just over a year ago. He is our greatest blessing. We love to travel to new places together and enjoy time as a family when we can.

I love working with your students here at school each day and enjoy watching them thrive in such a wonderful learning environment. I am excited to watch them continue to learn and grow in the future.

I would like to take the time to introduce myself. My name is Sharonda Oats. I was born in Ocala but spent most of my childhood outside of Florida. I had the awesome experience of living on the military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for a couple of years as my dad served in the Navy. My brothers and I explored the mountain behind our home and chased iguanas (or were they chasing me? 😊 ) Most of my younger years were spent in Great Lakes/Waukegan, Illinois. I sometimes miss the snow but never the cold. Florida is home! I am the proud mother of three handsome sons. The oldest has followed in my fathers’ footsteps and is currently serving in the United States Navy. I spend a lot of time with my family going to the movies, bowling, local festivals/carnivals, garage sales, or just hanging out at home, playing board games. I love to bake and experiment with candy confections as a way to unwind and relax.

I attended Johnson C Smith University in Charlotte, NC, and graduated from Ashford University with a degree in Social Science. I have always loved working with preschool-aged children and watching them learn and grow throughout the year. I worked for the local Head Start program with children from birth to 3 for 10 years. I have worked as a VPK/Pre-k ESE teacher with Marion County Public Schools for 6 years. I desire to help make well-rounded learners by celebrating independence, fostering their excitement for learning, their creativity, and their love of books, and providing a safe space for everyone. I believe in the beauty of everyone is different, but together we are beautiful. I have been an Owl, Mustang, Stallion, and Eagle, but I’m most proud to hold the title of a Fordham Fox.

We are licensed to work with the Marion Afterschool Program to offer extended day opportunities for Fordham students for the 2023-2024 school year. This will also include aftercare programming for incoming VPK students. MAP registrations officially opens on May 22, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. Representatives from the Marion Afterschool Program (MAP) will be onsite at Fordham on Wednesday, May 24th, from 2:30 to 5:00 to assist with registering and answering questions.

The below information is required to register for the MAP program at Fordham. A link has been provided for Fordham Pre-Registration information on the MAP website.

• A minimum of three emergency contacts
• First and Last Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Student's allergy and medical information
• A Credit/ Debit card or ACH number

https://www.marionschools.net/Page/94892

The April Monthly Calendar has been printed and will be sent home for your convenience. The calendar can also be referenced using the link below.

Thank you so much for your support. We received a check for $372.56 from our recent Chuck E. Cheese fundraising event.

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