THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 30, 1995 TAG: 9511300374
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
It may not be a Mom and Pop country store or a farm that's been passed down from generation to generation, but Dawn Moore, her mother and uncle have a family business of sorts - education.
They all work at Centerville Elementary School, where Moore is a third-grade teacher, her mother, Mildred Moore, is a special education teacher's assistant, and her uncle, Richard Winslow, is a volunteer.
``It's nice when you forget your lunch money, you can still go to Mom and borrow a dollar,'' laughs Dawn Moore, who has been at Centerville for three years. ``I can still do that.''
Even as a youngster, Moore, 24, wanted to be a teacher or a nurse. She knew she wanted to work around children.
Her mother started out as a substitute aide at Centerville two years ago, in part because Dawn was there. Last year, Mildred Moore became full-time.
``I've always loved to work with children. . . . I was always the room mother. I volunteered with my children,'' said Mildred Moore, 56. ``Once they left, I just wanted to be more involved with children.''
Once the two of them were on staff, it seemed only logical to have Winslow join them as a volunteer.
If there had been such labels when he started kindergarten almost 50 years ago, Winslow would probably have been considered mentally challenged. Mildred Moore, whom he lives with, decided to bring him to school to help out last year.
``We just tried it one day and it turned out well,'' Dawn Moore said.
He helps teachers prepare for projects by cutting out and counting the materials they need. Winslow, whom the students call ``Mr. Richard,'' also helps out in the cafeteria, on field trips and for class parties.
``I like to help the children,'' he said.
``Richard is special because he has such an enthusiasm about things other people might think are mundane,'' kindergarten teacher Lorine Davis said. ``He's wonderful with children. He adds a real caring spirit to our school.''
Winslow's work was recognized last year, when the 53-year-old was named the school's volunteer of the year. About the same time, Mildred Moore was named teacher assistant of the year.
At the school, ``they joke, `If we just got your Dad here, we'd have the whole family,' '' Dawn Moore said.
Students and colleagues at Centerville describe Dawn Moore as an outstanding professional.
``She helps us learn,'' said Mary Shaffer, 8. ``Sometimes I come up to her desk with a lot of questions and she still helps me.''
``She's really nice.''
The same might be said for the whole family.
``Everything's so commercialized these days,'' said George Weissinger, Centerville assistant principal. ``That giving, good Samaritan quality is rarely seen. That's why I think they stand out so much.''
``They're energetic, giving, caring people.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CHARLIE MEADS, The Virginian-Pilot
Dawn Moore, center, works with her uncle Richard Winslow, a
volunteer, and her mother, Mildred Moore, a teacher's assistant, at
Centerville Elementary School in Virginia Beach.
by CNB