About me
This year marks my 13th year teaching in public school; my 8th at DTS; and my 17th working in education in some capacity.
From 2008-2013, I taught 4th and 5th grades at DTS, leaving in 2013 to move with my family to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while my husband earned his doctorate at LSU. During that time, I taught second grade at a Visual and Performing Arts magnet, then transitioned into running my own progressive "playschool" and family childcare,Sprouts (Links to an external site.), as well as community outreach work through Red Stick Pop Up Play. (Links to an external site.)Prior to all of this, I taught 4th and 2nd grades in the mountains of Western Virginia and in Guilford County, North Carolina.
My husband accepted a faculty position at East Carolina University in August 2017, and we relocated yet again, to Greenville. I spent that year teaching elementary and early childhood education courses and supervising student teaching interns at both East Carolina University and Pitt Community College, which was meaningful and enjoyable work... but, ultimately, my love of the classroom setting (and DTS) won out over higher education and I was thrilled to return! Schoolwide Enrichment Teacher is basically my dream job, and I feel fortunate every day that I get to come learn alongside the kids at Downtown School in such a rich, hands-on environment. Last year (2019-2020), Magnet Coordinator was added to my list of responsibilities, as well. This year, the title of AIG Catalyst Teacher was added, as well.
I hold a Master of Science in Elementary Education from University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. My certifications are in preschool-sixth grade regular education and in academically or intellectually gifted education, K-12th. I also hold National Board Certification for Middle Childhood Generalist. I write and present nationally about education and child development related topics and I am involved in community outreach work related to play and authentic, inquiry-based education. Recent highlights include presenting alongside my former ECU colleague, Dr. Angela Novak, at the National Association for Gifted Children's national convention in Albuquerque, NM, and (Links to an external site.)North Carolina Association for Gifted and Talented conference (Links to an external site.) right here in Winston-Salem (Links to an external site.)about the value of play and its intersection with gifted behaviors, and the benefits that work will provide for my Play Park initiative at DTS. Last fall I also presented about inquiry based learning through Renzulli's SEM model at the 2019 UNCW AIG Conference (Links to an external site.)(Sally Reis herself was in the audience). Previously, I was fortunate enough to present at the Bank Street College of Education in New York, NY, at the U.S. Play Coalition conference at Clemson University in SC, and to serve as a Discussion Leader at Green Mountain Teachers Camp (Links to an external site.)in Dummerston, VT. I also provide gifted education professional development to staff here at DTS, and serve as a model IBL (Inquiry-Based Learning) classroom for other AIG educators county-wide. You can find me most summers teaching and exploring at Eagle's Nest Camp (Links to an external site.), where work as a Parent Counselor.
Personal Stuff:
My husband is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing and Management in East Carolina's College of Business. We have two pretty awesome kids: Kinsey, who will be in second grade here at DTS this year, and Jack, who will be a 6th grader in DTS's middle school. Other members of our household include a highly anxious rescued GSD mix named Frida and a curmudgeonly old one-eyed cat named Pirate who sort of showed up one day and adopted us. We are all SO thrilled to be back in the triad, though I would be lying if I said I won't miss Mardi Gras (but, hey, it's an excuse for a road trip!). I love hiking and camping with my family, monarch butterflies, the aforementioned road trips, and scary movies, especially those featuring zombies. You can usually find me drinking coffee and reading, though I have to work to remind myself to branch out from education-related books and children's literature. I also never stop scanning the roadside for usable junk, and nothing brings me more joy than seeing junk get re-purposed creatively.
Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns by emailing me at [email protected].
From 2008-2013, I taught 4th and 5th grades at DTS, leaving in 2013 to move with my family to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while my husband earned his doctorate at LSU. During that time, I taught second grade at a Visual and Performing Arts magnet, then transitioned into running my own progressive "playschool" and family childcare,Sprouts (Links to an external site.), as well as community outreach work through Red Stick Pop Up Play. (Links to an external site.)Prior to all of this, I taught 4th and 2nd grades in the mountains of Western Virginia and in Guilford County, North Carolina.
My husband accepted a faculty position at East Carolina University in August 2017, and we relocated yet again, to Greenville. I spent that year teaching elementary and early childhood education courses and supervising student teaching interns at both East Carolina University and Pitt Community College, which was meaningful and enjoyable work... but, ultimately, my love of the classroom setting (and DTS) won out over higher education and I was thrilled to return! Schoolwide Enrichment Teacher is basically my dream job, and I feel fortunate every day that I get to come learn alongside the kids at Downtown School in such a rich, hands-on environment. Last year (2019-2020), Magnet Coordinator was added to my list of responsibilities, as well. This year, the title of AIG Catalyst Teacher was added, as well.
I hold a Master of Science in Elementary Education from University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. My certifications are in preschool-sixth grade regular education and in academically or intellectually gifted education, K-12th. I also hold National Board Certification for Middle Childhood Generalist. I write and present nationally about education and child development related topics and I am involved in community outreach work related to play and authentic, inquiry-based education. Recent highlights include presenting alongside my former ECU colleague, Dr. Angela Novak, at the National Association for Gifted Children's national convention in Albuquerque, NM, and (Links to an external site.)North Carolina Association for Gifted and Talented conference (Links to an external site.) right here in Winston-Salem (Links to an external site.)about the value of play and its intersection with gifted behaviors, and the benefits that work will provide for my Play Park initiative at DTS. Last fall I also presented about inquiry based learning through Renzulli's SEM model at the 2019 UNCW AIG Conference (Links to an external site.)(Sally Reis herself was in the audience). Previously, I was fortunate enough to present at the Bank Street College of Education in New York, NY, at the U.S. Play Coalition conference at Clemson University in SC, and to serve as a Discussion Leader at Green Mountain Teachers Camp (Links to an external site.)in Dummerston, VT. I also provide gifted education professional development to staff here at DTS, and serve as a model IBL (Inquiry-Based Learning) classroom for other AIG educators county-wide. You can find me most summers teaching and exploring at Eagle's Nest Camp (Links to an external site.), where work as a Parent Counselor.
Personal Stuff:
My husband is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing and Management in East Carolina's College of Business. We have two pretty awesome kids: Kinsey, who will be in second grade here at DTS this year, and Jack, who will be a 6th grader in DTS's middle school. Other members of our household include a highly anxious rescued GSD mix named Frida and a curmudgeonly old one-eyed cat named Pirate who sort of showed up one day and adopted us. We are all SO thrilled to be back in the triad, though I would be lying if I said I won't miss Mardi Gras (but, hey, it's an excuse for a road trip!). I love hiking and camping with my family, monarch butterflies, the aforementioned road trips, and scary movies, especially those featuring zombies. You can usually find me drinking coffee and reading, though I have to work to remind myself to branch out from education-related books and children's literature. I also never stop scanning the roadside for usable junk, and nothing brings me more joy than seeing junk get re-purposed creatively.
Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns by emailing me at [email protected].