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Not Just a Teacher:  Wife and Mom of the #StewBuCrew

I was born in the Commonwealth of Virginia where my father was serving a brief tour in the United States Army. Shortly thereafter, my family moved back to Le Mars, Iowa where my parents were born and raised. The family soon moved to Akron, Iowa where my father had a teaching job as a political science teacher at Akron High School, and my mother worked as a registered nurse at the local hospital. We then moved a few years later to Twentynine Palms, California when my father got a new teaching assignment at Twentynine Palms High School as the Department Chair of the Social Science Department. He later became the Department Chair at College of the Desert/Copper Mountain Campus, Joshua Tree, California. The campus later became Copper Mountain Community College which is where I started my college career. California would be home to me for a very long time growing up with three sisters and starting my adult life after college.

After earning my A.A. in Liberal Studies at College of the Desert, I attended Chapman University where I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science with an emphasis in Elementary Education. I taught for 10 years in California and then moved to Parker from Palm Desert, California. When we moved to Parker, I taught at a local private school for 2 years and then began teaching at Challenge to Excellence the first year the school opened in the fall of 2002. I have taught first through fourth grade and am so thrilled to be the STEM Director! The 2024-20245 school year marks my 35th  year of teaching and it never gets old! My passion for education continues to grow in this ever-changing profession.

I thoroughly enjoy teaching and being part of the C2E family. When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my loving husband, Bill and my six beautiful children, My eldest son, Jonathan,  graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a degree in biology with a minor in chemistry and works in Denver.  My son, Stephen, is currently working in the Denver area.  He is married and has two sweet daughters!  My eldest daughter, Elizabeth, is married and completed her teaching degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver and is now starting her 7th year as a second-grade teacher in Denver Public Schools.  My daughter, Kathryn, also graduated from MSU Denver in the field of education and is starting her 5th year of teaching second grade this fall in Jeffco Public Schools. My daughter, Sarah, works in the restaurant industry and is learning her way around the world of business in California. Rachel graduated from CSU/Fort Collins and is now attending nursing school to become a certified nurse practitioner.  All six of my children are C2E alumni and very proud to be former Mammoths! I am so very proud of them and what they have accomplished so far in their young lives. This wife, mom, new grandma, and teacher is blessed beyond words!

My love for Colorado gets stronger every single day as this wonderful state has so much to offer. I am constantly amazed as I travel throughout the state and discover new things that make this a great place to live and raise my family.

When I am not teaching, I enjoy being outside, cooking, baking, learning about anything having to do with technology in the classroom, and crocheting when I have time! My favorite outdoor activity is fly fishing! I snag more twigs and trees than I do fish, but I have fun learning from my devoted and VERY patient husband! Making my homemade sourdough bread is my newfound passion!  I also love being able to share my knowledge with other educators as I work with them at educational summits/conferences across the country and share all of the things that I get to do at Challenge to Excellence Charter School!