Welcome to my website! I am so excited to provide you with a connection into our classroom. This is my 28th year at Lester School and every year brings new and exciting adventures with your children. My home life finds me embracing a more routine and predictable lifestyle. My two boys, Tony and Dominick now both live away from home. My younger son, Tony, who is 19, is attending his second year at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, IL (Home of Ronald Reagan). He is also a baseball player who pitches for the Sauk Valley Skyhawks.  My older son, Dominick, who is turning 21 in a few months, moved to Maryland with some friends last year.  I live in Shorewood with my longtime boyfriend, Glen and our dogs, Milo and Arleen. We are frequent visitors of our local dog park, where we find joy in watching all the dogs play together and explore the grounds. I also enjoy doing Zumba regularly with my friends to get fit and have fun along the way!

It is quite humbling to have had experienced the school experience with your own children when you teach. I remind my students each and every day that I do understand the challenges of a busy household. I can empathize with juggling packed schedules, homework and normal "parental duties". With that being said, though, I do also emphasize with my students what their responsibilities are here in the classroom and extending those to home in regards to their school commitments. I let them know early on to be accountable for their choices and actions, and not to make excuses. I encourage them to be flexible, open-minded, and to use their resources to gain independence.  We, as parents and classroom teacher, are two of those resources and can work together to support our fourth grader by creating a team to ensure success!

 We will also review how to have a GROWTH MINDSET...to focus on the journey forward, rather than the end product, and the successes found along the way, big or small. We are celebrating the power of "YET" and there will be lots of growth this school year! Lastly, our district will be continuing to implement positive psychology with our ORANGE FROG INITIATIVE, which focuses on striving towards our individual happiness in order to achieve success. Our focus this year continues to be building connections and promoting positive relationships. We will also be beginning our Zones of Regulation SEL curriculum to help students navigate the emotional challenges of learning and school.

I have found teaching to be quite a challenging profession, but at the same time the MOST rewarding and satisfying. There is no other career I can imagine loving so much. I feel extremely lucky to be such a longtime member of the Lester Family and to have the opportunity to be a part of your son's or daughter's fourth grade experience this year! Contact me anytime! See my information below. :)