Teacher Spotlight: Ms. Suzy Mullins 

It’s a privilege to introduce you to Suzy Mullins, one of our high school history teachers at Virginia Virtual Academy who lives with Multiple Sclerosis and teaches by example. 

The Education Journey 

Suzy, originally from Wise County, Virginia, is a third-generation teacher – her grandfather taught in the 1920s, her parents in the 1950s and two of her five sisters are currently teachers. Suzy, however, wanted something completely different, and chose to study French and Psychology. She soon realized, however, that teaching was in her blood. 

Suzy taught in a public school for 12 years until her move to Roanoke in 2016, when she discovered Virginia Virtual Academy (VAVA). Her two daughters began attending VAVA and she learned about a job opening, applied, and began teaching.

The Invisible Disability 

In 2018, Suzy hurt her neck while doing home repairs. The doctor requested an MRI, where they discovered lesions on her brain, which often lead to a Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. She saw a specialist at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, but because she was not experiencing any other symptoms, the doctor chose to monitor her health and was not concerned. Unfortunately, symptoms soon appeared. 

Over a short period of time, Suzy’s eyesight began to suffer – she was seeing patterns when her eyes were closed and began hallucinating images. The specialist thought she was experiencing a mental breakdown.  

Frustration over this invisible disability only progressed due to COVID. During lockdown, Suzy woke up not able to see anything. She went to the local Emergency Room where she was able to see a neurologist. He looked at her records and declared that she did indeed have MS. She started treatment and her vision gradually started to come back. 

The New Normal 

Once Suzy regained her vision, she noticed she could not write in a straight line across a page. After multiple eye tests, she was able to see the extent of the damage and started her own physical therapy – to practice and improve her writing, she began writing to her students, sending five postcards a day.  

Virginia Virtual Academy has been a gift throughout this journey, enabling Suzy to continue a job she loves. She does not have to walk anywhere or stand for long hours. Her teaching team has been a huge support, standing in for her when she cannot. 

“If I was still in a traditional school, I would have had to retire,” said Suzy. 

At the beginning of each school year, she is upfront with her students, letting them know she has a disability. She has shared PowerPoint presentations and a YouTube video that explains the disease and why it’s considered an “invisible disability”. Being vulnerable with her students has allowed them to be vulnerable as well.  

“My students encourage me so much. I’ve had students say, ‘I can tell you don’t feel great today, so thank you for being here.’ I’ve also had students tell me they no longer feel ashamed about their own disability. I now have a different platform to share my story.” 

We are grateful to Suzy for sharing her story, the struggles and the wins. The VAVA students and community are lucky to have such an amazing and positive example that shows your circumstance does not define you.  

Is Online Learning Right for Your Family? 

Virtual education is one of the many choices out there for your child. Explore Virginia Virtual Academy and discover how our flexible online programs can empower your child to thrive, graduate early, and achieve their goals sooner. Click here to get started today! 

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