Meet Mrs. I.

How I Came to Be Here

During the last century, I was born in Chicago, as were my parents and grandparents, and I have a younger sister and brother. We moved to Des Plaines when I was 8, and I went to Maine West High School, where I met my husband in 1996. We've been together ever since and married for 15 years. I went to Eastern Illinois University where I earned my degree in elementary education with a concentration in grades 5-8, and I minored in Spanish.

In 2001, I began in my teaching career in Berwyn, IL, as a Title 1 reading and language arts teacher for 7th and 8th grade students who had just completed ELL programs. In 2003, I began teaching at Westfield Middle School in Bloomingdale, IL, to be closer to home. I taught 6th grade ELA (reading and language arts - double class periods) and science for 10 years. My experience includes reading programs similar to our district, as well as extensive work with novel studies, literature circles, and more. I love literature and will do my best to get students excited about new books! Writing is also something I enjoy teaching, and of course, I am a self-proclaimed grammar lover. Science fascinates me, especially biology, nature, and weather.

My family and I moved to Roscoe in 2013, and I was able to take a few years to focus on my children and family while staying home or volunteering at a local wildlife rehab. My daughters began kindergarten and 2nd grade here. Finally, I worked my way back into the classroom to again do what I love most when I began working as a paraprofessional here at Kinnikinnick in 2015. Working with kids is what I belong doing, and I've gotten to know the 4th and 5th grade teachers and curriculum well over the past three years, not only helping with lessons and students, but also substitute teaching in the building when needed. In addition, I home-tutored a student to help bridge the gaps from 4th to 5th grade.

Here I am this year, more ready and excited than ever to return to the classroom as a 5th grade teacher. I am so fortunate to be a part of the Roscoe family and Kinnikinnick family, who have all been so welcoming and supportive to our family as we got ourselves situated in a new town and new district.

Fast Facts About Me

1. When I was 5, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. Never ever did I change my mind or think I wanted to try something else.
2. I love coffee, chocolate, candy, and pizza, and I enjoy salads, fresh fuits and vegetables, and steak. I'm not a fan of shellfish or sushi, though.
3. I love to be barefoot.
4. I love the color purple. A lot.
5. I was born and raised a city girl, but my heart feels more at home out in the woods or the middle of nowhere.
6. My family and I enjoy road trips and driving places spur-of-the-moment when we can. We once took 15 days and drove through 15 states to see anything we wanted. I've also been to Hawaii twice, Mexico, Canada, and Jamaica, but never to Europe. On my bucket list of places to see are Alaska and Austrailia.
7. Steph is my youngest daughter, and she's in 4th grade. Kaylin is in 7th grade and looks exactly like me. They are strong, tough girls who share my passion for nature, exploring outside, and especially animals.
8. I have a sun conure named Harley. Sun conures are one of the smaller parrot species and one of the friendliest, too. He has been known to visit me at work from time to time.
9. I have a dog named Bailey, and he is approximately 10 years old. We also have one 5-year-old cat named Jake and a 14-year-old cat named Annie. Because these were rescue pets, ages are never certain.
10. Photography is my #1 hobby right now. I take anywhere from 500-2,000 pictures a month easily. Interestly enough, I do NOT know how to use Photoshop very well.
11. I love nature and being outside. My whole family does. We are adventurous, love building and making things, and don't mind getting dirty and doing lots of work to accomplish a task.
12. Someday, I'd love to have my own wildlife rehabilitation facility and/or a farm.
13. Despite my obsession with nature and animals, I have many year-round allergies, including but not limited to pollen, grasses, weeds, trees, feathers, cats, dogs, horses, bunnies, sheep, mold, parabens and other preservatives in certain products, mosquitoes, and especially dust. My allergies are all the time, and my eyes tend to get really red and itchy. I can really sympathize with those of you who have environmental allergies, as well as food allergies, since Steph has peanut and tree nut (almonds, cashew, walnuts...) allergies.