Your Teacher

Hello Parents and Students!

Since we will be working closely with each other for the next 9 months or so, you should know a little about me. So here is a short Biography of me, Lauri Davis.

I am not from Michigan originally. I was born in upstate New York and raised outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I've moved around quite a bit in my life, living in 7 states, finally settling in Michigan, in my opinion one of the greatest states!

I went to college at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. It was a small state school of about 7000 students near the Appalachian Mts., southwest of Harrisburg. I graduated in 1988 with a Bachelors of Science in Biology with an Environmental Science minor. Going straight on to graduate school, I obtained my Masters of Science in Wildlife Biology at Washington State University in 1991. After school, I worked as a Wildlife Biologist in several different states. I landed in Michigan in the spring of 1993 and worked as a research biologist with the USEPA on the Island of Grosse Ile. As part of my job, I worked outreach in local schools teaching the students about invasive species and contaminants in the Great Lakes. I found out that I really liked interacting with the students. So, in 1999 I went back to school and received my teaching degree from Eastern Michigan University. I worked for 6 years at Milford High School, a large suburban school in southeastern Michigan, teaching Chemistry, Physical Science and Advanced Placement Environmental Sciences. In 2006 I was hired by the Houghton-Portage School District and moved to Houghton. Here at Houghton, I currently teach 10th Grade Biology, 11/12th grade Forensic Science , and 9th Grade Physical Science and have taught 8th Grade Earth Science and 11/12th grade Environmental Ecology also. I feel truly grateful to be teaching at Houghton. It is a wonderful district, small enough to know everyone and with an amazing staff that really cares about the students. While working here at Houghton, I earned my National Board Certification. At the time I earned this, I was the only current teacher in the UP to hold this special certification. It was very tough to earn this certification, but I think it has made me a better teacher.

In my spare time, I like to kayak, hike, read, and spend time with my husband, dog and pet rats!

I look forward to the year ahead. I love Science and Teaching, and promise you that you will get a great science education in my classroom.

Sincerely,

Lauri Davis