Welcome to 5th Grade! My name is Kristi Gacek and I am thrilled to be at Blake Elementary again this year. This is my fifteenth year in the district and my thirtieth year teaching!  In addition to Blake, I've taught at Claggett Middle School and Heritage Elementary. I have also taught fourth and fifth grade in Loudoun County, Virginia, as well as graduate courses for the University of Virginia. As you can see, I like teaching very much! I earned my B.S. in Elementary Education from The Ohio State University in 1994 and my M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with an Emphasis in Reading from the University of Virginia in 2001. I  earned my Masters Plus 30 credit hours in 2019. I have taken classes covering brain research and learning, learning disabilities, adolescent development, gifted student needs, Google tools, teaching children of poverty, healthy pathways to learning, and literacy conferring with students. As you can see, I love to learn. :-)

When I am not at Blake with your students, I like to read, cook, travel, and spend time with my four daughters. I live in Medina, so it is not unusual to run into members of my "school family" at sports competitions, local businesses, or community events. If you see us, please make sure to come over and say hello!

I consider my classroom my school family. If you have any questions or concerns (or want to share some good news about your child!), please do not hesitate to contact me. Get ready for a GREAT year!

Please go to our Fifth Grade Google Classroom. You will receive an invite to join it at the beginning of the year.

Please look at Google Classroom for information. You will receive an invite to join it at the beginning of the year.