Ms. Vacca
Welcome!
“Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear almost any 'how'.”
Parent Teacher Conferences - October 19th!
Meet your teacher
Literature and Composition| Creative Writing Club | Charlemagne House Leader |
Ascent Classical Academy Douglas County
ABOUT ME
I grew up in Montana, where my parents gave me the gift of a classical education, combined with a broad outdoor experience. I also had the opportunity to travel widely in Europe, Africa, and South America; these travels deepened my love of both the outdoors and of history and the humanities. I attended college at Montana State University - Billings, where I received a History B.A., an Interdisciplinary Honors minor, and a Music minor. I was blessed at this time to have many chances to apply my liberal arts education to "hands-on" projects, including working on archaeology surveys and excavations, writing for various literary publications, and performing in several music ensembles, including the city opera company. The Arts and Humanities came alive to me, and I now see them as not ancillary to, but rather, an inseparable and vital part of one's education. I then taught after-school art, music, and dance classes and also joined the university faculty as a ballroom dance instructor.
I eventually moved away from Montana and worked as a journalist and legal writer for a time before returning to the education field. I began as a history, literature, and writing tutor for a wide range of high-achieving, special needs, and ESL students - this was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I also worked with the high school/university dual enrollment program and realized how much I loved teaching college and high school students, which led me to Ascent.
In addition to my passion for the humanities, I have a deep appreciation for nature and enjoy spending every second I can outdoors hiking, kayaking/paddle boarding, cross country skiing, and looking for unusual birds and plants!
EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY
"Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel." - Socrates
WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
In my short time here, I have already been blown away by the curiosity, kindness, drive, and insight of my students. I look forward to our time in class every day.
GET TO KNOW ME
what is your favorite book?
This is an impossible question.
Agatha Christie was the author who first awakened my love of literature; I devoured all 66 of her books as a young person, and even then, I was fascinated by her insight into the patterns of human nature.
Some of my other favorites are Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd, Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Jane Austen's Persuasion, Leo Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Epictetus' The Art of Living, Isaac Asimov's Nightfall, Ray Bradbury's There Will Come Soft Rains, and anything by Mark Twain or Charles Dickens.
If I'm not feeling especially literary, I also really enjoy reading Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. Sometimes, life needs a little silliness.
What is your favorite subject?
Learning. I am fascinated by life and humanity as a whole, and the more I learn, the more I realize how beautifully and intricately all "subjects" are connected. If I must choose just one subject, I would probably say Literature or History, because both encompasses so much of the human experience. But right now, I am also really enjoying exploring Economics and Botany. I just read a great book about fungi ...
What do you Appreciate about ascent?
I appreciate Ascent's focus on developing the whole person. Our knowledge only has true value if we also know how to use it.
What is your favorite Game?
Clue! Maybe this is related to my love of Agatha Christie, maybe not. But when my sister and I were home sick one winter, we developed this game into a pure art form, complete with its own notational code for ruling out suspects. We couldn't talk my brothers into playing, so our rabbit Benny was third. Clue will always be special.