Welcome to our classroom!  It is an honor and a blessing to be your teacher this year.  My name is Michelle Dillard and I am thrilled to be a part of the wonderful Ford community.  I absolutely love teaching fifth graders- it's an exciting year filled with inquiry and independence.  This is my eighteenth year in the classroom, mostly as a fourth and fifth grade teacher. I've also worked as a reading specialist for striving third grade readers.  I earned my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood/ Elementary Education from Dallas Baptist University,  and a Master's degree and certification in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (ESL).  I also earned National Board Certification as a middle childhood generalist, the Master Teacher designation from the state of Colorado, the Presidential Award for mathematics in 2020 and the Fulbright Award in 2023.  It is my passion and privilege to help all kids grow as thinkers and learners by loving and educating the whole child, setting and meeting high expectations, and creating an environment of high engagement and choice.

My husband and I have been married for nineteen years and have three children. Caroline is a tenth grader who attends Heritage High School.  Jackson is a seventh grader at Cresthill Middle School.  Lilah is a fourth grader here at Ford.  I love to read, play golf, watch baseball, relax with yoga, and sing.

I am excited to jump into another fantastic school year.  All students are encouraged to engage with the world around them in meaningful ways and connect prior knowledge and experiences with new learning.  To this end, purposeful conversations between your child and yourself, reading daily and talking about the content, and shared experiences prove invaluable to growing into a lifelong learner.  Thank you for giving your child the gift of you! 

I am eager to answer any of your questions to the best of my abilities and hear all about your child.  Please contact me anytime by email or phone.  It’s going to be a great year!

With love and respect,

Mrs. Dillard

mrdillard@lps.k12.co.us