Mrs. Gillis

Welcome to fifth grade!  

My name is Mrs. Gillis, and I am so excited to be your teacher this school year!  This will be my thirteenth year as the fifth-grade teacher, but my nineteenth year at CKS.  I taught fourth grade at CKS from 2001 to 2006.  I returned to CKS in 2012 and worked with Mrs. Byrne in first grade.  I was thrilled to accept the fifth-grade teaching position (as you can tell, I have a "thing" for CKS) for the school year 2013-2014.  I love teaching at Christ the King because of the students, parents, teachers, and staff devoted to learning in a community of faith.  

I am a fourth-generation Vermonter!  I attended St. Joseph School with my three brothers and sister.  I then attended Burlington High School and played varsity basketball for four years.  I was accepted at Champlain College and graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early and Elementary Education, along with a minor in Liberal Arts.  I graduated with the highest average in the division and was named Student Teacher of the Year in 2001.  I only accept the best from myself, and this dedication extends to my desire to provide the best learning environment for my students.  I live in Burlington with my husband, Paul, and our two daughters, Isabelle, who is twenty-one, and Genevieve, who is seventeen  I spend a lot of time cooking (I'm a foodie and a seasoned chef), gardening (green thumbs run in my family), working out, running, hiking, camping, paddling, and traveling.

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Philosophy

I love teaching.  I am passionate about learning, and I enjoy discovering new methods and activities to share with my students.  I firmly believe that this is my only job, and God has graciously allowed me to spend my days educating your children.  As your child's teacher, I aim to maintain a dynamic classroom environment that cultivates cooperative learning, social and emotional intelligence, independence, responsibility, critical thinking, social awareness, confidence, and respect for all of God's creation.  I feel that children learn best when they belong to a community that fosters security, allows students to express their understanding in multiple ways freely, and encourages risk-taking.  My goal is to make learning tangible for all children and create opportunities to challenge them, enabling them to improve or build upon their current successes.  Through differentiation, students can complete work that is neither too easy nor too challenging.  Students will have choices in many assignments, and lessons will incorporate a variety of multiple intelligences, allowing students to access the ways they learn best.  More than anything, I want to provide your child with a fun and engaging environment where they feel comfortable, safe, important, and cared for.       

I also believe that you know your child best.  You are your child’s first teacher, and you continue leading them throughout life’s endeavors.  That is why I believe that communication and collaboration between teachers and parents are among the best ways for a student to reach their fullest potential.  I hope to support your child in becoming the best fifth-grader they can be.  The more we communicate about your child and how they learn best, the more effectively I can meet their needs in the classroom.  

My goal this year is to fully prepare your child for a smooth transition to middle school.  A significant part of this is developing self-discipline and organization in both the classroom and at home.  I need your help!  Fifth graders often need reminders to keep their papers organized and utilize practical time management skills, enabling them to complete tasks on time.  Using a calendar is a helpful way for students to learn to budget their time and break down long-term projects into smaller tasks.   Checklists are useful tools for tracking completed tasks and can help your child feel a sense of accomplishment, especially when working on projects.

We have a lot to look forward to this year, like STARBASE, the Wax Museum, Google Classroom, and the t-shirt book report, just to name a few.  I am thrilled to be your guide this year and look forward to getting to know each of you.