All about me....
Education:
I am a native of Charlotte, NC. From 1979-1992, I attended Charlotte Mecklenburg schools (K-12). I began my education at Myers Park Traditional Elementary. I then attended Hawthorne Middle School for grades 6-9 and graduated from Independence High School in 1992. I continued my education at Western Carolina University where I earned a Bachelors Degree in Education. I started my teaching career in 1997. I have now been in the education field for 18 years. I taught 4th and 5th grade students for 10 years and then I was offered a promotion as a Literacy Facilitator. I was a K-5 Literacy Facilitator for 6 years, and during this time I attended Gardner-Webb University at night to earn a graduate degree. In 2009, I graduated from Gardner-Webb with a Master of Arts in Administration. In 2013, I was promoted to a Dean of Students position at Mint Hill Middle School. This year, I was once again promoted as the Assistant Principal of Myers Park Traditional, my elementary alma mater.
Philosophy:
I knew at age 5 that I wanted to be an educator when I was blessed to have an amazing teacher, Mrs. Brown , who started me down a long pathway of wanting to influence the lives of children. At age 21, I found myself writing a letter to Mrs. Brown thanking her for inspiring me to fulfill my dream. Throughout my younger years, I taught math to all of the dolls I owned lining them up and down the backyard. I have to say, I ran a pretty tight ship in my backyard classroom. Everyone seemed to listen, but over the years I realized that it would have helped if the dolls would have collaborated. As I became a "real" teacher, I found that my strength was working with students who struggle academically and socially. I then used this strength as I became a facilitator to create a Learning Lab for students who needed extra foundational support. These efforts were recognized by the East Learning Community as I was asked to present this concept to Elementary Principals in our zone. I then created and implemented many Professional Development courses to teach educators best practice for working with struggling students. I have spent most of my career mentoring teachers and students alike. It is my goal for students to have the same experience that I had with Mrs. Brown. We all come to the table with different backgrounds and different needs. I believe that it is our job to create relationships with EVERY student that we encounter! We should have the exact same expectations for every student in our classrooms. The goal has to be that our students grow socially and academically, and most importantly leave us ready to be successful citizens in our communities. Our students must know that they are protected, safe, and have adults around them who care about them as individuals. As the new Assistant Principal, it is my goal to set high expectations for our students, provide an environment that is conducive to learning, and to continue to build relationships with students throughout the school.
Personal:
Here is where things get tricky! I am a sports fan! I spend a lot of time in front of the TV during football and basketball season. Most students have been okay with me being a huge Carolina Tarheel fan, but I have had mixed reviews on my choice of a NFL team. Yes, I am a Dallas Cowboys fan! I support our Panthers, but I was a sports fan way before they came along, so I have to remain loyal. I am also a HUGE animal lover! I have a 6 year old black lab named Maggie. I adopted her from the Charlotte Humane Society and she is my heart and soul. She is my second rescue. My first rescue, Abby, sadly passed, but brought me 14 years of pure happiness. I am an advocate for all animals and believe strongly in the rescue process. In my spare time, I love having friends over for BBQ's and game night. I also love going to see movies and eating huge bowls of butter popcorn. But, I always top it off with a Diet Coke! I also spend a lot of time with my loving parents and Maggie's best friend Joey. He is also a rescue from the Humane Society. In my personal life, my goal remains the same in 2015 as it has been since the 1990's! I need to make time to exercise! The real truth is.... to get "any" exercise! Oh well, one thing at a time! I do love to vacation in the North Carolina mountains! I love a log cabin, a warm fire, and hot chocolate! My dream remains to travel all over the world!!!!
Closing:
I am excited to be a member of the Myers Park family. I look forward to building relationships with our staff, students, and parents. It is my goal to ensure that we continue to provide students with the best education possible while preparing them to be productive citizens in our ever changing world!