My name is Valerie Taft, and I am so excited to be teaching 2nd grade at Ford Elementary this school year!

I am a Colorado native, and grew up in Edgewater- a small town just west of Denver. Knowing I always wanted to be an elementary teacher, I attended UNC in Greeley and completed my BA in Elementary Education. A few years into my teaching career, I fell in love with teaching students how to read, and earned my MA in literacy instruction with my Reading Specialist endorsement from CU Denver. This year I will be starting my 12th year teaching.

When I am not teaching, I love spending time with my husband, Kevin. We have two wonderful children, ages 6 and 3. We also have 2 dogs and a cat. Our family loves traveling, especially to Disney, the mountains, and the beach. I also love swimming, cooking and baking, and spending quality time with my family.