Biographical Sketch:
I grew up in Castle Rock, CO, but have lived in Iowa, Arizona, Oregon, and Minnesota, too. I met my husband, Morgan, here in Fort Collins in 1998; we’ve been married for 11 years and our life together completely revolves around our sweet miniature Aussie, Fitz.
Education Background:
I graduated from CSU with a B.A. in journalism and obtained a M.Ed in administrative leadership through Regis University. I also attended the Art Institute of Phoenix for a baking & pastry certification.
Why I Became a Teacher:
Teaching is my “family business” - my parents were both teachers and my sister is a college professor. That said, I didn’t plan to be a teacher from the start, and even stepped away from education in 2006 to make wedding cakes in a little bakery in Oregon. However, it was at that time when I realized how much I missed working with students and knew I belonged in the classroom. Since then, I’ve been happily locked in to my true calling and this will be my 20th year in education.
Favorite Books:
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, and I faithfully reread the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder every single year. I love how books can transport us across time and space, and connect us to our memories and emotions.
Interests & Hobbies:
I love testing new recipes, reading, dining out, traveling, baking cakes for my nephews, yoga, bullet journaling, concert-going, mountain road trips, visiting farmers markets, foodie adventures, and long walks with my dog. I’m also a huge fan of college football and women’s college basketball.
Courses Taught:
I will be teaching 8th and 7th grade English Language Arts this year. In my past experience, I’ve taught culinary arts, journalism/yearbook/newspaper, reading, mythology, and poetry at other schools, across grades 6-12.
About My Classroom:
I believe that all students can become lovers of reading, writing, and even poetry - it just comes down to tapping into a passion, exploring a creative outlet, or finding that first great book to read. My classroom space promotes creativity and growth within a calm, peaceful, safe environment. I feel that middle school students need support with organization, time management, resilience, and communication, in addition to all things language arts; we work to fuse these skills together whenever possible.
I am so excited to be a Puma and can’t wait to get to know every student, family, and contributor to this amazing school community!