Mrs. Payne- AIG

My name is Mrs. Payne, and I am excited to serve as the AIG specialist this year. With over 26 years of teaching experience, I’ve had the opportunity to work with students in first grade through sixth grade, focusing primarily on math and science. I hold a Bachelor's degree from Appalachian State University and a Master’s degree in Academically Gifted Education from Western Carolina University.

My husband and I have been married for 36 years, and we have two wonderful daughters. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy swimming and working on DIY projects.

I’m looking forward to an exciting year of learning and discovery with your child! I feel my most important job as a teacher is getting to know each child as an individual and recognizing they bring a uniqueness to the classroom.  Students need to feel they belong and are valued for who they are as an individual.  My goal is to provide diverse instructional materials that reflects many different perspectives to promote understanding and bridge a connection for diverse thinking. Diverse cooperative learning groups help students collaborate, apply critical thinking skills, and build empathy by meaningful interactions with their peers.  Every student brings something valuable to the learning environment and provides a broader way of thinking and viewing situations.  My goal is to create a safe space where students can learn how to interact with peers whose thinking and ideas maybe different from their own.