hatmaker's educational path built on service

By: Valerie Menendez

Jocko Willink, a New York Times best seller, once said: “The bad that comes in things can be reframed as a point where one must work on.” 
 
It is a mantra that Glenelg special educator Joshua Hatmaker has strived to live by for as long as he can remember, and one that continues to guide his professional career.

In his elementary school years, Hatmaker said he recalled feeling behind his fellow peers and classmates, which prompted his family to find the possible cause. Hatmaker was diagnosed with Dyslexia in 5th grade, a learning disorder that makes it difficult for one to read and/or speak. After receiving an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and having put in countless hours of his free time into learning, Hatmaker said he was finally able to comprehend on grade level by the 7th grade. ​

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“I remember the teachers that helped me out and got me back on the right track,” Hatmaker said. “My mom, also, provided tremendous support. I'm the youngest of four boys, and she had a lot going on, but she was always the one that had my back and pushed me along.”

Although many could label his disability as a setback, Hatmaker’s resolve and belief in the aforementioned mantra has allowed him to help and push others along – from working at a camp for kids diagnosed with cancer as a high school student to serving Glenelg and its community for the past 22 years as a special education teacher.

It is a role Hatmaker said he is particularly proud of, especially as a Glenelg alum.

“Glenelg has always been a supportive community, and I appreciate being able to give back to the community that helped raise me,” Hatmaker said. “I value watching students and athletes I’ve worked with over the years become young adults, parents, even raising a family, and just contributing positively to society.”

Perhaps no one is better to attest to Hatmaker’s impact than Jeremy Snyder, special education instructional team leader, who mentored Hatmaker and has worked alongside him since 2002.

“Mr. Hatmaker is entirely supportive of students with disabilities,” Snyder said. “He is great at building relationships with students and working with them individually to give them specialized instruction in specific areas. There is no doubt he goes above and beyond to ensure students not only understand the material, but that they feel comfortable in the environment.”

​Hatmaker’s ability to build relationships in a comfortable environment extends beyond the classroom to the lacrosse field where he has led the boys team as their head coach since 2004.

“I’ve known Coach Hatmaker for 17 years and through the time off of the field we have built basically a father and son bond,” said Shane Dubois, senior lacrosse defender. “Hatmaker knows how to balance creating connections with a player while also being a tough coach and leading a disciplined team.”

While Hatmaker hopes to continue teaching and coaching at Glenelg into his 30th year, he said he does not know what the future may hold in the years beyond. Whether he continues on in education or seeks another pathway, one thing is certain: Hatmaker still wants to carry on with his journey of using his services to help others. 
 
“Helping and guiding have been my life’s calling,” Hatmaker said. “I equate what I’ve been able to do in my career to seeing my own children overcome obstacles. At home, we have a threshold between our kitchen and our sunroom. It’s similar to an actual step where you and I would just walk over and not even notice. But when our kids started to walk they would always trip. Sometimes those little, little speed bumps, those barriers, are just harder to get over. 

“For students I work with and help, once they see it [that step] and get over it, there’s a kind of light bulb that goes on and they’re able to move forward and do great things. It’s amazing what a little bit of confidence can do. It’s certainly played a valuable role in my life.”