Professional:
I graduated from the
University
of
Wyoming
with a degree in English and reading, secondary education in 1985. My first
teaching job was a 7th grade reading teacher in
Scottsbluff
,
Nebraska
. In my third year, my brother told me of an opportunity to work in
Chiapas
,
Mexico
for a USDA school. I jumped at the opportunity to work outside the country, and
of course, my comfort zone. I moved to
Chiapas
where I taught 1st and 2nd grades and fell in love with
the “international” feel of the school. After three years, the program was
coming to an end, so I moved to
Tucson
with my new husband to put roots down in a bicultural city. In our first year,
I went back to school to work on my Master’s degree and I worked at a
preschool. In 1992, I began
searching for a full time position in
Tucson
, when I was introduced to the
Basic
Curriculum
School
at
Vail
Middle School
. I began teaching 8th grade Language Arts and journalism at what
is now known as
Dodge
Middle School
. I did the school newsletter and yearbook for the next 8 years. When my first
daughter was born, I allowed other staff to produce our award winning
publications. In, 2001 our site council voted in a reading class for all
incoming 6th graders and I moved to 6th grade. In 2005,
I left the classroom for the first time in 20 years to become an Instructional
Coach. I spent the next two years as an Instructional Coach and then three years
as a high school librarian. Finally in 2010, I decided to return to the
classroom, making this my 26 year as an educator. I totally believe in
International Baccalaureate and am delighted to be here at Safford K-8. Go
Huskies!!
Personal:
I have been married 20 years to my
husband and the father of my two children. My hobbies include learning,
traveling, reading, gardening, watching foreign movies and hiking. When I was
younger I enjoyed camping, but now I prefer room service J
My dream home faces east and west
and is flanked to the south by an ocean and the north by majestic mountains.
Favorite Quote:
"Every
day in
Africa
a gazelle wakes up."
"It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be
killed."
" Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows that it must outrun the
slowest gazelle or it will starve to death."
"It doesn’t matter whether
you are a lion or a gazelle.
When the sun comes up, you better be running."
Abe Gubegna
Ethiopia
, circa 1974
Click here to
see me Grand Canyon
