Teacher of the Week: Sarah Spersrud

Sarah Spersrud, a teacher at River Bend Middle School Community in Wake County, makes every child feel welcomed and gets them ready to learn for the day.
Posted 3/18/2026, 1:40:45 PM Updated 3/18/2026, 2:00:09 PM

OR TRAVELING DURING NON-HOLIDAY

WEEKS IN THE FALL AND WINTER.

>> OUR TEACHER OF THE WEEK

INITIALLY THOUGHT SHE WANTED

TO WORK IN THE HEALTH FIELD.

THEN SHE DISCOVERED SHE WAS

MORE INTERESTED IN THE ACADEMIC

WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN.

RIVERBEND MIDDLE SCHOOL TO

SURPRISE A SPECIAL EDUCATION

TEACHER KNOWN FOR GETTING THE

BEST OUT OF FIRST.

TAKE A LOOK OUT OF TIME.

IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR SARAH

SPURS. TRUE TO GREET HER

STUDENTS AT THE DOOR HANDLE.

>> GIVE YOUR COMPUTER. YEAH,

I MISS YESTERDAY. SHE IS

AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN TO HER

STUDENTS AS MISS S OKAY BEFORE

BUT HER ATTENTIVENESS AND

WILLINGNESS TO MAKE SURE HIS

STUDENTS SUCCEED GETS AN A

PLUS. I THINK THE PART I LIKE

THE MOST ABOUT IS THAT YOU SEE

SO MUCH GROWTH FROM THEM AND

THE GROWTH OF THEM IS DIFFERENT

BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE SUCH A

BIG MOUNTAIN THAT THEY CLIMB.

SO THERE'S JUST SO EXCITED WHEN

THEY DO IT.

>> AND IT'S REALLY FUN TO SEE

IS WHAT THE X IN THE BOX JUST

LIKE YOURS TO.

>> THE SPURS WHO READILY ADMITS

SHE NEEDED A LITTLE NUDGE

BEFORE ANSWERING THE CALL TO

THE CLASSROOM. BUT

>> HAS NO REGRETS. THAT'S

ACTUALLY MY MOM'S IDEA.

>> SHE'S GOING TO KEEP A

GREAT TEACHER. I WAS REALLY

INVOLVED IN SPECIAL THE SPECIAL

EDUCATION CLASS OF MY HIGH

SCHOOL. SO SHE WAS LIKE, YOU

SHOULD TRY IT. SO SHE KIND OF

DECIDED FOR ME.

>> FROM A SPURS.

TRUE, THOUGH. OKAY. SO YOU'RE

ACTUALLY MISSING THEM HAVING

HER STUDENTS INCLUDED IN THE

RIVERBEND MIDDLE SCHOOL

COMMUNITY BRINGS HER GREAT JOY.

I THINK.

>> IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE KIDS

TO BE ABLE TO BUILD

RELATIONSHIPS WITH A LOT OF

DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE AND

THAT THEY ALL GET THE SAME

OPPORTUNITIES MISSED US.

>> YOU ARE WRAL'S TEACHER OF

THE WEEK.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. IT WILL

BE A LOT OF APPLAUSE

>> AND SO WONDERFUL MEETING

OR WELL, IF YOU'D LIKE TO

NOMINATE A TEACHER, GO TO WRAL