Q: What inspired you to be a scholar in the field of education?

A: Just after high school I attended a community college where I made extra money tutoring students in science and math. One of my professors recognized my ability to take complex concepts and explain them to help others understand. At that point, I focused myself on a career in education.

Q: Have you taught before? For how long? What were the pros and cons?

A: I have spent my entire career at Olympus after getting my Science Credential from UC Davis. For 13 years I taught 7th and 8th grade Science, Digital Art, and Video Production. The last 11 years I have been an administrator at Olympus.

Q: What motivated you to move on from teaching?

A: I actually never intended to move on from teaching, but just after receiving my Administrative Credential the Assistant Principal position was opened at Olympus. I figured if I was going to leave the classroom it would be for an opportunity for me to stay at the school I loved!

Q: If you’ve taught, what’s your favorite memory from your teaching days?

A: You can imagine there are a lot of highlights in my career, but probably the most memorable experience was when the carpet caught on fire in the classroom. There was a malfunction in the alcohol burner the student was using that caused the fuel to leak on the table. It caught fire then dripped down to the floor. It was the first and only time I had to use the fire extinguisher in the classroom. My colleagues remind me of that situation often!

Q: What other cities have you worked in?

A: I grew up in Weed, CA and I had a lot of jobs growing up. Going to school in Davis I had a few jobs there. In education, Olympus has been where I’ve established my “forever home”.

Q: In a few words, can you describe a normal school day during this pandemic?

A: You know that Food Network show “Chopped”? Chefs have to open up a basket with unknown ingredients and try to make something out of it. That was a lot like this year in education. Every day you didn’t know what you were going to get, but you had to use your skills to make sure you were doing the right thing for your students and staff.

Q: How are these days different from pre-pandemic days?

A: Everyone is a lot more exhausted than usual. I think our teachers have put in an extraordinary amount of time above and beyond their normal duties - plus take care of their own families during the pandemic. I’m constantly reminded of how resilient our teachers are!

Q: How do you cultivate positive relationships and create a sense of community with your students and staff?

A: Everyone wants to go to a good school. But a good school isn’t built on the programs, curriculum, classrooms, etc. A school is only as good as the people that are in that school. Everyone has a responsibility to do their part to ensure we have a good school. Treating everyone with kindness and respect is the most important ingredient to our positive school culture.

Q: How do you encourage parents to support their children’s education?

A: At Jr. High, it’s time for parents to take a few steps back and let the students take responsibility for their academics and scheduling. They can take the training wheels off, but the parents should still keep an eye on their students to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to do and provide support when they need it.

Q: How do you maintain your own professional development and what areas would you select for your personal growth?

A: I work with an organization called EQ Schools and I provide some training sessions for teachers. EQ Schools focuses on student and teacher mental health, so that is a focus for me.

Q: What does success look like to you?

A: Let’s focus on a successful school: It is a place where students feel safe, respected, challenged, and supported. Where everyone treats each other with respect - even when they might not agree.

Q: What motivates you on a daily basis?

A: My family and my colleagues. I want to be able to say that I’ve done everything I could to help support them and make them proud at the end of the day.

Q: What is the name of your favorite book and what genre is it? Could you tell us a little bit about it?

A: Space Chronicles by Neil deGrasse Tyson. It’s a science/astronomy book written by one of my favorite scientists.

Q: If you could only use five words to describe yourself, what would they be?

A: Kind, friendly, supportive, proud,...and exhausted!

Q: What inspired you to be a scholar in the field of education?

A: Mainly my ever-growing passion for it. When I was little, playing make-believe with my brother, I would always be the teacher. As I grew older, I became a teacher and later a principal.

Q: Have you taught before? For how long? What were the pros and cons?

A: I have taught before! I taught at a Multi-Track Year Around school. It worked like this: There were four mini schools or tracks. One was called red, another green, one blue, and one yellow. You would go to school for three months then have a month off, all-year-round. During my breaks, I would substitute in Jr. High schools. A Pro of teaching was that you could see students' light bulbs turning on. It makes my heart soar. I also enjoy working hard to meet kids' needs, especially the bright kids. Cons: I have a super soft heart, and it breaks easily.

Q: What motivated you to move on from teaching?

A: Being a teacher in Multi-Track-Year-Around, you had a very complex schedule. You needed to be structured and have organizational charts since 1/4 of the teaching staff was always on vacation. I frequently took on jobs such as bus duty, make schedules, special meets organize, took on duties and comittees so I could learn it all to help students. My principal said I should go to school and get my administrative credential, and I did.

Q: If you’ve taught, what’s your favorite memory from your teaching days?

A: I used my favorite book, one called On the Day You Were Born, that used in the summer for my fourth graders at Multi-Track. I typed up all the dialogue from the story and I asked my students to put it in the order they thought it was in. Then, we read everyone's versions. At the end, I read the original book to the class.

Q: In a few words, can you describe a normal school day during this pandemic?

A: We open the school a little earlier, for taking temperatures and health screening. Then students go to class, and when I pop into classes, it's really different from a normal school day. They are all spread out, wearing masks. In a normal year, each class is 50 minutes long, but we don't have enough time to cover them all, so you can only do three classes per day. Each class has five minutes breaks in-between, and a mask break after second period. Then on Wednesdays, you do all the periods, but they are only 25 minutes long. Our staff supervises them as they leave, and reminders about Covid Restrictions are frequent.

Q: How are these days different from pre-pandemic days?

A: Now, as I said before, schools closes at 11:45. Also, students can't work in groups, like they previously could. In addition, we wouldn't have to disinfect as much.

Q: How do you cultivate positive relationships and create a sense of community with your students and staff?

A: I feel like our sense of community, because of Covid, has diminished a little bit. You can't do assemblies or rallies or any big gathering. Our students know that we will do anything to help and support them, but that big sense of community has shifted. One of our goals next year is to make sure to be thoughtful how to add activies back in to build and strengthen bonds with each other. To build them in the first place, I try to respect everyone. I believe that it's my job to help my students and staff be the best person they can.

Q: How do you encourage parents to support their children’s education?

A: Back in pre-pandemic days on the day before school we give a pep-talk to everyone who is attending. I tell them a little about myself and the school. One thing to parents is not to pull away too much. We aren't telling them to supervise our students as if they kindergarteners unless that is what they need, but middle school is when kids need both independence and parenting. For example, if you have a question, ASK YOUR KID. If they aren't telling you, ask a teacher. Just really communicate with your kid.

Q: How do you maintain your own professional development and what areas would you select for your personal growth?

A: I would like to find more time to exercise. I put a lot of time, love, and energy into my family and Cavitt, and that doesn't leave a lot of time for me to exercise or to do other things that might benefit me.

Q: What does success look like to you?

A: From a professional perspective, happy teachers, loving doing their jobs, many resources, students being joyful and get support when needed, and for them to do their very best work on state test so the community knows what an amazing, amazing group of people they are. From a personal perspective, making my two children work hard, are polite, kind, and compassionate. And for myself, making my Mom proud.

Q: What motivates you on a daily basis?

A: I am competitive, and I want to make sure Cavitt is able to give our kids its absolute best.

Q: What is the name of your favorite book and what genre is it? Could you tell us a little bit about it?

A: My favorite book is, again, On the Day You Were Born. It encompasses the miracle of a new baby coming into the world, my love of nature, it talks bout the science in the index. It just talks about the gift every baby that is born gives to earth.

Q: In this interview, you mentioned running a summer camp. Could you tell us a little about that?

A: It's called WoHeLo Family Camp. It's hosted by Campfire Boys and Girls. They have an office down in Valehlo. It's for a child that has Autism. We call it WoHeLo because that stands for Work, Health, and Love.

Q: If you could only use six words to describe yourself, what would they be?

A: Compassionate, perfectionist, dedicated, supportive, hard-worker, and loyal