This is my forty-first year in education. I have worked in elementary school, middle school, and spent one year in an alternative secondary program for at-risk students. Most of my career was spent in Pickens County where I retired in 2013. I am certified in elementary education, middle school language arts, and administration/supervision. I believe that a love of reading can be instilled in students by reading for enjoyment so we spend time every day reading self-selected books. I also believe that providing activities for students that engage them in fiction and nonfiction texts will improve their ability to read; therefore, students are provided many opportunities to consult texts being studied both in classwork and on assessments. Skimming and scanning are an important life skill as well as an important test-taking skill. Working with students is a challenge and a joy for me. My hope every day is to provide an environment in which children can learn and interact safely with each other. As for my family, my husband is employed in informational technology with the city of Clemson, and I have two children, Blake and Sydney, and a wonderful son-in-law, Alex!