Because I grew up in Chapel Hill/Carrboro, I got to go to McDougle the very first year it existed! I graduated from UNC and completed my student teaching in a 4th grade classroom at McDougle. I was lucky enough to move up to 5th grade with my students, where I am now in my 13th year of teaching. I proudly claim that I have attended McDougle as a student, a student teacher, and now a teacher too! 

I have been working on my goal to see the world. So far I have been to Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, France, Switzerland, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and Indonesia. Other cultures and languages fascinate me, and I have had the pleasure of teaching students from 33 countries around the world so far! 

At the end of 2019 I got married* and invited all of my past and present students to the wedding ceremony. They even made my bouquet! That memory is going to stay with me forever. My students aren't just my students--They're my family! 

Speaking of family, I live with my husband, Nathan, and my daughter, Marsali (MAR-zuh-lee). She will probably make an appearance at some of the after school events this year.

*I still love being called "Ms. Nic", but my new official last name is pronounced like "Mare" or "Air" with an M.

One of my goals for my classroom is to allow my students to have responsibilities and choices. I want my students to feel like they have ownership over the classroom as well as their learning. For that reason, I have implemented flexible seating into my room. Students have the choice each day to sit on the counter, a bouncy ball, a floor cushion, a couch, or a regular chair. They can also choose to use a standing desk or a balance board if they wish. Along the way, I will be teaching them to make choices based on where they learn the best. 

My other big focus is classroom community. We will be having a ton of circles this year to get to know each other and challenge each other's thinking. We will discuss favorites, feelings, classroom dynamics, and social justice.