Your Sixth Grade Team!
Left to right: Profe Burke, Mrs. Knipstein, Mrs. Ellett, Ms. Garber, and Mrs. Mair
Mrs. Ellett
Educational Background and Professional Experience: I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with minors in Studio Art and Art History. I earned my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University. I have taught for over twenty years in North Carolina and California. This will be my fourteenth year in sixth grade. I am excited for this school year!
I grew up on the east coast in Virginia. I moved to North Carolina for college and met my husband there. We live in Point Loma/Ocean Beach with our two boys, Landon (age 11) and Elijah (age 9) and our dog, Teddy. We enjoy going to the beach, snorkeling, boogie boarding, and playing with our dog. On the weekends, we spend time with friends and attending San Diego Wave games.
Email: cellett@dmusd.org
Phone: 858-481-6789 x 3564
Mrs. Knipstein
Educational Background and Professional Experience: I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree, my teaching credentials, and Masters in Special Education from the University of San Diego. I taught second grade for nineteen years and this will be my eleventh year teaching sixth grade, all at CDM. I LOVE 6th Grade!
I grew up mostly in the Northwest and most of my family is still there. We enjoy going to visit them a couple times per year. My husband and I have two boys, ages fourteen and twelve. They attend ninth and seventh grade in Poway and play baseball, basketball and recreational tennis and golf. As a family we enjoy beach time, fishing, hiking, biking, golfing, camping, traveling, skiing, cooking, and cheering on the Padres!
Email: sknipstein@dmusd.org
Phone: 858-481-6789 x 3561
Mrs. Mair
Educational Background and Professional Experience: I graduated from Colgate University with a BA in English Literature and earned my teaching credential from the University of San Diego. For over twenty years I’ve taught in a variety of settings. I was a classroom teacher in the Solana Beach School District before my family moved to Colorado where I was a K-5 computer coach in Littleton Public Schools. This is my 6th year teaching 6th grade in Del Mar Schools and I am so happy to be returning to the Carmel Del Mar team for my third year.
Life Outside the Dragon's Lair: I was raised in Poway and grew up loving books, school, nature, and riding horses. At Colgate, I was the scrum captain of the women's rugby team, and I spent a semester studying in South Africa while Mandela was president. My family and I lived in Denver for nine years where I fell in love with the Colorado Avalanche and live music at Red Rocks. I currently live in Encinitas with my husband, Jason, and our two awesome young adult sons, Daniel (UCSC) and Robbie (CU Boulder), and I enjoy paddleboarding, writing, hiking, and playing games of any kind.
Email: amair@dmusd.org
Phone: (858) 481-6789 x3565
Ms. Garber
Educational Background and Professional Experience: This is my 25th year in Del Mar, and I have taught 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. For the last 15 years, I have been at Torrey Hills School, and I am thrilled to return to CDM where I began my teaching career.
Life Outside the Dragon's Lair: I have three grown children and two little grand babies, and I love to spend time with all of them. I’m also fortunate beyond measure to share my life with one of Del Mar’s most talented (former) teachers, David Skinner. We have a cute cat, Willow, and a scruffy dog, Walter. My family likes to camp, sail, and ride bikes. As many of you probably do, we spend a lot of time at the beach.
Email: tgarber@dmusd.org
Phone: 858-481-6789 x 3543
Profe Burke
Educational Background and Professional Experience:
Originally from Poway, California, Andrew Burke has been teaching for the past six years. Now in his second year with the Del Mar Union School District, Profe Burke is looking forward to sharing his love of Spanish with the 6th grade students at Carmel Del Mar as well as Ashley Falls and Del Mar Hills.
Profe Burke earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Hispanic Studies at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon and is currently completing a Masters of Arts degree in Foreign Language Teaching at Michigan State University. He loves telling stories from his experiences living and working in Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Spain, Chile, and Colombia. Profe Burke is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer having served in the education sector for 27 months in rural Colombia.
Email: aburke@dmusd.org
Google Site: Profe Burke