I came to Eugene as a University of Oregon student studying Business Management. I finished school, began a career at a travel agency, got married and had two children (a girl and a boy). I took a brief ‘retirement’ to stay at home with my kids and did significant volunteer work at their school as well as lead a girl scout and a boy scout group. My children (who are now grown) attended the Spanish Immersion School. Once my youngest began middle school I began working part time as a teachers assistant for the next 5 years. Then I hit a crossroads in life; when my daughter was a senior I went back to school to get my teaching license and ESOL endorsement (English speakers of other languages.) When I graduated they were laying off teachers in the Eugene area and I ended up taking a position in Salem. I worked 13 years in the Salem Keizer school district teaching grade first through fifth, before returning back to Eugene to teach. I have taught first through fifth grade with my primary focus being first and second grade.
Other things about me are that I have had two exchange students from China and an exchange teacher from Thailand who lived with me when I was in Salem. My husband and I had the pleasure of going there to visit them and their families before moving back to Eugene. We love to travel and learn about new cultures, (still in my blood from my travel agent days) and also exploring the culture and beauty that surrounds us in our own backyard. My husband and I seem to always have some kind of home improvement project going on and enjoy spending as much time as possible with our grandchildren (who live out of the area).
It takes a village to raise a child and I encourage family involvement and welcome classroom volunteers.