Second Grade

Ms. Laurie Casey is excited to welcome her Gators to the 2023-2043 school year! She earned her bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Radford University. She is looking forward to beginning her 23rd year of teaching, with this school year marking her 16th at Greenwood! Ms. Casey has experience teaching second through fifth grade. She teaches to foster a lifelong love of reading and learning. Ms. Casey strives to cultivate a classroom environment where students feel safe to make mistakes, actively collaborate with their peers, and feel valued every day. Ms. Casey believes that each and every student brings something special to the classroom and is looking forward to helping each student share their special talent. It’s going to be a wonderful school year!

Mr. Jacob Clark is absolutely thrilled to be back at Greenwood this year teaching second grade! This is Mr. Clark’s second year teaching, although he has been a part of the Greenwood community since the school opened, having attended as a kid! He graduated from James Madison University (Go Dukes!!) with a master's degree in Teaching. He also received his bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies from JMU. Mr. Clark believes that every student in his classroom has gifts and talents that they can find and grow. He hopes to make authentic and meaningful connections with each of his students and their families, creating an incredible community that can accomplish great things. Mr. Clark hopes to make his classroom a place where magic happens every day, no matter how small. Ever since interning at Greenwood as a senior in high school, Mr. Clark has found that teaching makes his heart happy. He tries to make an impact in the lives of every student he meets! Mr. Clark is looking forward to an awesome year ahead. Go Gators! 

Mrs. Kaitlyn Glessner is excited for her fifth year teaching at Greenwood!  Mrs. Glessner grew up in Fredericksburg, VA and went to Liberty University where she received her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. She spent her first seven years as an educator in Spotsylvania County teaching Kindergarten, second grade, and third grade. Mrs. Glessner moved to Richmond in 2019, has taught Kindergarten and second grade here at Greenwood, and is excited for a new opportunity this year to teach Language Arts to both second and third grade! Mrs. Glessner believes in a classroom culture where students feel “at home” and comfortable to be themselves, take chances, make mistakes, and LEARN! She sees her students as a family and works hard to create a sense of belonging in the classroom. Mrs. Glessner’s goal as a teacher is for students to love reading, love exploring, love discovering, and love learning! She is excited to help each student gain more confidence academically, socially, and emotionally. It’s going to be a fantastic year! 

Ms. Katie Hall is excited for another exciting year at Greenwood teaching second grade! She grew up on a farm in western Hanover County and graduated from Randolph-Macon College with a BA in Developmental Psychology and Elementary Education. Ms. Hall has been a part of the Greenwood community since 2011, initially working with the K-2 Exceptional Education team and then as an intervention teacher She has also taught kindergarten and first grade during her time at Greenwood. Ms. Hall fully embraces the growth mindset perspective, believing that all children will learn — and develop a love of learning! — by challenging themselves and building a confident inner voice.  In her room, there is a saying: ‘when you make mistakes, your brain grows!’ She hopes to show every child that missteps should be embraced and celebrated, not feared. Ms. Hall teaches to help every student feel loved and welcome, and know that school is a place for them to feel safe and free to explore, ask questions, make mistakes, and express themselves! 

Mr. Paul Schutte comes from a family of teachers back in South Africa and married an English Spanish teacher. His entire life has been in teaching with love and has fulfilled all his desires in and outside the classroom. Coaching sports in the afternoons facilitated great relationships with his pupils. Been a principal of Greenride High School in Johaunesburg, South Africa, for eight years before his American grandchildren lured him to Richmond, Virginia five years ago. His love for children made him apply for the instructional assistant position at Greenwood and it fulfilled all of his expectations of experiencing life once again. 

LeYuani Wilson is a product of Henrico County Public Schools. She received her bachelor’s degree in mass communications from JMU, and her master’s degree in education, as well as her Gifted Endorsement, from VCU. Ms. Wilson has enjoyed teaching for twenty-eight years and has taught thirteen years at Greenwood. She believes in presenting her students with project-based learning opportunities that cultivate their creativity while developing their critical thinking skills. Her vision is to create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable exploring endless possibilities while working collaboratively to achieve success. She enjoys getting to know her students during her morning meetings and building relationships with them that extend beyond the classroom. Ms. Wilson is excited to meet her new Gators, and believes that with love, support, and encouragement, they will thrive in second grade. Bring on the 2023-2024 school year. Together, Ms. Wilson and her students will have an unforgettable experience!