MEET MRS. SHEA
Teaching is something that I’ve always wanted to do! My first classroom was run out of my home, back when I was 8 years old. I began teaching a younger friend how to read and write and became excited when she really did improve with my help! My mom was not thrilled when I turned our spare room into a public library and pretty much “gave away” a lot of our books. Even though much has changed since then, one thing is still the same. I still get a thrill out of teaching and helping others learn.
My formal teaching education began when I attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, N.J. and graduated with honors. Along with my degree in Education, I earned a minor in psychology. I got my first teaching position as a first grade teacher at Mill Lake School, back in 1984. I quickly learned that Mill Lake was a great place to teach and express my frustrated ambitions of becoming an actress, singer, piano player, president of a corporation, coach, nurse, child psychologist, stand-up comic, motivational leader, scientist, historian, nutritionist, professional organizer, public speaker, and so many other careers! I left Mill Lake in 1994 to raise my family: Caitlin (now age 32), Steven (age 30) and Jaclyn (age 28). During this time, I kept my teaching/educational skills sharp by tutoring, reading, instructing my own children, volunteering in children's ministry at church, and writing educational articles for a local magazine. Yes, I was also a pretty visible parent volunteer who would jump at the chance to teach lessons whenever possible.
I was fortunate to be able to come back to Mill Lake School as a 2nd grade teacher in 2002 and am still currently teaching fabulous 2nd graders! I was known as Ms. Quinn for many, many years, but got married to Mr. Shea, gaining a wonderful husband and 2 step-daughters (Jamie 24 and Kelly 25). Just when I thought my heart was as full as it could get, along came my granddaughters Lilianna, now 4 years old, Nora, 18 months old and Vienna, 8 months old.
I still feel passionate about what I’m doing and am excited to be part of such an important process – preparing our kids for the future as members of society in all ways! I strongly believe in the Golden Rule: Teaching other people’s kids the same way that I liked my own children, (and grandchildren), to be taught! I have written a children's book with my best friend Myra Bugbee, former principal here at Mill Lake, entitled PRACCIDENTS. It was illustrated by my stepdaughter Kelly as well! I coined the word "PRACCIDENTS" many, many years ago and regularly use it in the classroom to identify preventable "accidents" that could have been prevented with some "thinking ahead". No doubt your child will start using this word in their vocabulary too, with many other fun phrases that I readily "sing" or use in our daily school interactions.
I will make you 2 promises... I will work my hardest to bring out your child's best potential with every teaching "trick", method or strategy I have gained in my experience along the way and to do my best to keep our home school communication lines open and continuous, keeping parents "in the loop" as much as possible. In return, please send me your child to school rested, filled up with nutritious food, and ready to learn! I am really looking forward to teaching your child this school year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Shea