Welcome to First Grade!

Welcome to our 1st grade classroom. I am truly excited to be your child's teacher this year. I look forward to working with your child and getting to know your family! Please don't hesitate to contact with any questions or concerns. The best time to reach me by phone is from 8:00-8:30 AM or 3:30-4:00 PM M-F. You can also email at anytime. It takes a village!

About me:

My name is Bill Knouse and this is my sixth year teaching 1st Grade at Potomac Elementary School. I am from a small town in Central Pennsylvania and moved to the area a little over 6 years ago. Before teaching, I worked in children's mental health as a case manager. In addition to teaching, I served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as a Troop Commander in a Cavalry Squadron since 2014. I received a Bachelor's degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and a Master's of Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction from Shippensburg University. Outside of school, I spend most of my time in the outdoors fishing and hunting with my best friend Rappahannock the Boykin Spaniel. 

My Mission and Philosophy:

Learning is a journey not a destination, and there are many paths that a child may choose. Understanding how and why children think a certain way or see things from a specific perspective can be the difference between reaching most children and reaching all children. Children learn the most when they are invested in the experience and the information is tangible. These exploratory experiences must be challenging but accessible. They must also be exciting, inciting curiosity and a desire to further explore concepts individually. The enduring goal is to inspire children. Our end state is a child that is not only prepared for the future, but is ready for his or her own lifelong pursuit of knowledge. 

First grade is an extremely important year for the building blocks of literacy and foundational math skills. This is not something I take lightly, and I promise to do my very best to meet your child where they are at and give them every tool they need to be successful. We do not do easy in here. We make easy happen through hard work and determination.