About Me

Hi! I'm Ms. Katharine Kostelnik (pronounced K'-STELL-nick). This is my fourth year teaching 8th Grade ELA at Hill Country Middle School, and I couldn't imagine teaching any other age group. Middle schoolers keep me laughing, keep me on my toes, and make every day a little different than the last.

I earned my Associate of Arts in Teaching from Austin Community College and my Bachelor of Arts in English from Texas State University (Eat 'em up, Cats!). Before becoming a teacher, I thought I'd end up in an elementary classroom, but it didn't take long to realize middle school was exactly where I belonged.

As part of a military family growing up, I attended twelve different schools before graduating high school. Moving so often taught me how to adapt, connect with new people, and appreciate different perspectives, which is something I hope every student experiences in our classroom.

When I'm not at school, you'll probably find me journaling, reading, listening to music, or overanalyzing the newest movie in theaters. I'm also a huge animal lover and share my home with two dogs, one cat, and enough pet hair to knit a third dog.

I'm excited for another year of learning alongside you as we grow as readers, writers, thinkers, and people. Welcome to 8th Grade ELA!