Wednesday, May 29, was like any other day inside Janelle Ali’s (pictured above left) pre-K classroom at Dogwood Elementary School. At 9:50 a.m., the class of about 15 students broke into smaller groups, so students could work on targeted skills with an adult leading them. 

Aisha Farooq (pictured above right), Janelle’s classroom helper, worked with five students in one group on a project involving construction paper. The students calmly ripped, cut, and glued their paper together to create a picture with the torn pieces. 

In other groups across the room, a pair of students played with foam building blocks, a handful of students sat on the carpet journaling, and a few students took turns playing at the sensory board. 

This wasn’t Aisha’s first time working with Janelle. Janelle was also Aisha’s special education preschool teacher in 2005 at Clearview Elementary School.

Janelle is in her 21st year of teaching at FCPS. She remembers meeting Aisha for the first time almost 20 years ago. “[At the time] she did not have much expressive language and was unable to walk independently.” 

Janelle spent that school year working collaboratively with Aisha’s mother, an occupational therapist, physical therapist, and public health aid to transition Aisha into the general education setting for instruction. The following school year, Aisha transferred to Dogwood Elementary School for kindergarten, where she remained through sixth grade. 

“I was nervous to attend a new school,” Aisha said. “But throughout my years at Dogwood, I met wonderful teachers. They were all supportive and helped me learn and grow.” 

Aisha kept the same instructional assistant (IA), Maria Ferman, during her entire time attending Dogwood. “[Mrs. Ferman] played a big role in my life and was always welcoming and patient with me,” Aisha continued. 

When Aisha was in sixth grade, she and Janelle crossed paths again. Aisha volunteered in her classroom to read to students and help them brush their teeth. By this time, Janelle had transferred schools and was now teaching preschool at Dogwood.

Aisha went on to attend Hughes Middle School and then South Lakes High School. “Throughout Aisha’s time as an FCPS student, she continued to work hard with her teachers meeting her IEP (individualized education program) goals and working through some significant health issues,” Janelle said. 

After graduating from South Lakes, she attended Davis Career Center for three years. “I met wonderful teachers who taught me life skills. Mr. Stephen Axelson was my case manager and he helped me fill out my resume and apply for a job,” Aisha explained.

Aisha participated in the Secondary Transition to Employment Program (STEP) at South Lakes during the 2022-23 school year, which offers job training and transition support in Fairfax County for students earning Special or Modified Standard diplomas.

“When I was in high school, I knew I really wanted to work with kids — to help them and to support them,” Aisha explains. Her professional dream was to be a teacher herself one day. When Janelle got word that Aisha’s STEP mentors were looking for a classroom to place her within FCPS, she advocated heavily for Aisha to return to her classroom — this time, not as her student but as her colleague and helper. 

That year, she helped in Janelle’s classroom and received hands-on training for about five hours daily. “She assisted with everything from classroom management, supervising centers, assisting when the students went to specials, and supervising while on the playground,” Janelle continues. “She was an absolute gift to have in the classroom.”

For the 2023-24 school year, an opportunity arose in Janelle’s classroom to hire a “helper” for a student with specific behavioral needs. “Aisha was the first person I thought of,” said Janelle. 

In November 2023, Aisha was officially hired as an FCPS employee and student monitor for Janelle’s classroom. “I knew Aisha was up for the challenge and that she would excel and that is exactly what has happened,” Janelle added. 

“Aisha is a hard worker, she shows initiative, and the students absolutely love her. She is very natural with students and works hard to form relationships with each of them. She’s patient and reflective about her practices, knows what the children need, and always wants to help,” Janelle explains. 

Aisha’s story is a testament to the success of early intervention and the importance of holding our students to the highest standards. It also shows the importance of relationship building and the golden rule. The relationship between Janelle and Aisha, once teacher and student, has evolved into colleagues harmoniously working together in the same classroom where they met two decades earlier. 

“She means the world to me,” Aisha said of Janelle. “She has been so supportive since I was in preschool with her. Since then, she has opened doors for me to come and work with her and the kids.”

One of Aisha’s favorite moments from her first year as a student monitor was taking the class to specials. “I told the students to be safe and quiet and they were listening to me. This moment gave me confidence,” explained Aisha. 

“I am grateful that I can work for FCPS,” Aisha said. “I wanted to work with children with special needs because I wanted to help them succeed in areas that were difficult for me. It means a lot to me to be able to help the students in many ways. I want to teach them that there is nothing impossible to do in life.” 

Learn more about the Secondary Transition to Employment Program (STEP).