KCMO teacher prepares for 1st day of school at her alma mater

Teachers at University Academy (UA) are ready to welcome students back for a new school year.

For one first-year teacher, Bernadette Looney, it's not her first day at UA.

Looney was part of the first UA class to go all the way through the school from kindergarten to graduation in 2019.

She said it was an easy decision to come home and be a third grade teacher at her alma mater.

"Why not go back to a place where I’ve had people be loyal and dedicated to me, and want to see the best for me?" Looney said.

Now, Looney's working alongside teachers who taught her, like Aisha Smith, who was her second and fourth grade teacher.

Smith said having another alumni in the classroom sends a positive message to students.

"It’s like a full circle moment," Smith said. "I think it really builds true to our mission of wanting to make sure our students know there’s a path for them to succeed."

Looney said she may be a teacher, but she still feels like a student, and she's ready for this next chapter at a school where she learned how to be her best.

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KSHB 41 reporter Caroline Hogan covers development across the Kansas City area. Share your story idea with Caroline .