Welcome to Fifth Grade!

I was born in Nebraska, where I learned the importance of hard work, education, and persistence. From a family of seven siblings, education was a focus, and we challenged each other to work academically, athletically and musically. I graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education, excited about my new adventure into teaching.

My first experiences teaching were in grades 4-6 with all subjects and age groups. After relocating to Ohio, I completed my masters at Ashland University. I also have a leadership designation at Ohio Dominican and a business background in insurance and financial services. I have been at New Albany teaching 5th grade science almost as long as I have been in Ohio.

My love for science and the world around me started at a young age. I explored our family farm in Nebraska daily. When possible, I would take apart things to see how they worked. This helped me to think more three dimensional, which is an important part of the learning process. In my classroom, I incorporate hands-on learning as much as possible, giving my students time to explore scientific concepts more fully, while comparing their observations and collection of data. Sometimes our classroom gets a little bit noisy, and we lose track of the time; however, the love of science is important work. With a lot of hard work and persistence, hopefully my next class will develop the “bug” for science, just as my elementary teachers passed on to me.

When I am not watching or reading about science, I read mysteries or history books, exercise, and enjoy time with my family. My husband and I have 3 adult children and several grandchildren. My oldest son, Christopher, is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and graduated with an MBA at Harvard University-Business. My daughter, Tiffany, graduated from the University of Dayton, where she also played softball. Tiffany completed her Masters in Business at Thomas More. Finally, my youngest child, Jessica, is attending the University of North Carolina: Charlotte, where she is majoring in Data Analytics and Sports Analytics and plays DI volleyball.