Welcome to
Sycamore Ridge School

I'm so excited to start my 21st year of teaching! It's a career I'm deeply passionate about, and the best part of my day is always the time I get to spend with my students. This will be my 11th year at Sycamore Ridge, and I can't wait to be back in the 2nd-grade classroom for my sixth year!

My journey as an educator has taken me through different roles and grade levels. Before coming to Sycamore Ridge, I spent eight years teaching 2nd grade and three and a half years teaching 5th grade at Del Mar Hills Academy. While there, I was honored with the Teacher of the Year award in 2010. More recently, I spent five and a half years as the STEAM+ Technology Specialist here at Sycamore Ridge, and in 2020, I was named Sycamore Ridge's Teacher of the Year.

I was born and raised in Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. I attended Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Theatre and Psychology. I received my teaching credential from National University in 2003 with an emphasis in technology and multicultural education. Over the years, I've also enjoyed taking on leadership roles, including serving as president of the Del Mar California Teachers Association (DMCTA) from 2014-2018 and in various other positions with the California Teachers Association (CTA). I am also an active member of the National Education Association (NEA) and have served as a delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly thirteen times.

Email: ebienke@dmusd.org

School Phone Number: (858) 755-1060 x. 3824