Welcome to my Professional Efolio
This website will be used to document my journey to becoming an educational leader through the MSUM leadership program.
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Family |
Teaching Experience |
I have an active, loving family that keeps me very busy. My husband and I have three children; our daughter is a 17 year old junior who has just recently started her first job, our 14 year old son is a freshman in high school and participates in marching band, and our youngest son is 8 years old, in third grade and an avid hockey player. My family moved to Minnesota in 2013 from Arizona, which was quite the climate change!
Personal InterestsFor as long as I can remember reading has always been my favorite pastime--so much so that I recall getting in trouble in 6th grade for reading a book that I was hiding in my lap while I should have been listening to the teacher! I also enjoy spending time outside (in the summer) and baking. As a family we enjoy traveling and try to go on one big trip a year. Our favorite place to go is to Florida to visit Disney World. We also enjoy going back to Arizona to visit all of our friends and family.
SchoolingBeing an Arizona native I attended Arizona State University for my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I graduated in 2006 with a Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education. In 2010 I returned to school and graduated with my Masters of Arts in Special Education. After moving to Minnesota I returned to school at Southwest Minnesota State University to obtain my Autism License in 2018. Currently, I am beginning my journey at Minnesota State University Moorhead to obtain my K-12 Principal Licensure through their Educational Leadership program.
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My first teaching experience was at a low income school in the Tempe Elementary School District at Frank Elementary School. I began as a fifth grade teacher and taught that for three years. When given the opportunity to switch grades I excitedly moved to fourth grade where I taught the English Language Development class for the students who were identified as having English as their second language the next two years. Always looking to grow and experience something new I took advantage of changing grades again with an opening in third grade where I taught my last year at Frank before moving.
In Minnesota I decided I would use my special education licensure and was offered a position in the Chisago Lakes School District as a Learning Disabilities (LD) teacher traveling between the two elementary schools in the district. I held this position for two years before accepting the LD position at Primary School working with students in grades K-2. The following year a LD position opened up at our 3-5 building, Lakeside Elementary, which I moved into. At Lakeside I held the LD position for two years before moving into the Emotional Behavior Disorder (EBD) teacher position. Beginning in the 2019-20 school year I took on the additional role of Dean of Students as well as continuing as the EBD teacher. Leadership RolesAs a teacher I have had gained leadership experience participating on different committees and in different roles within the Chisago Lakes School District. Currently, I am a member of our School Improvement Team, Building Leadership Team, and our building Crisis Team. I am also a Professional Learning Community (PLC) leader, the Elementary Special Education Department Chair, a mentor teacher to new special education teachers for the past 4 years, and a supervisor to eight paraprofessionals in my building. This school year I am also the Dean of Students at Lakeside Elementary School.
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