Things that make me happiest... 

Hi, and welcome to my website and fourth grade class. I have been teaching since 2003, and began my journey within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 2005. I have a driving passion for teaching and love everything about being your child's teacher.

 I married my best friend in October of 2003. Bryan teaches Civics and Government at Hatboro-Horsham High School, and I am always thankful for his guidance and support on those days I feel I need it most. We welcomed our daughter, Abigail, into our family when she was born in April of 2014 through domestic adoption. She is the light of our lives, and is truly our blessing from God. We also have a wonderful English Pointer named Penelope, and an Redbone Coonhound named Eleanor. 

One of my favorite things to do is work on our 1926 Cape-Cod style home. I love the original doors and flooring throughout the home. I'm an avid photographer and take most of my photos in photo-journalistic style to capture the moment. My camera goes with us on all hikes and I love to hang some of the landscapes and captured moments I've taken throughout our home. I love to spend time at the beach and in the mountains. We are a camping family and I look forward to our two weeks up in Lake Placid each August. We have begun visiting new states and enjoying camping in our RV. Having camped in a tent for 20 years, I feel like I earned this upgrade! HA!!  

You will often find me at the barn with or without Abby. I have shared with her my love of horses, and I find that my time with these majestic animals has become my therapy that helps bring everything back into focus.  I have always had a passion for horses, and as I entered my 40s I decided it was the perfect opportunity to indulge in this lifelong passion of mine. Abby and I enjoy being around the horses and love the challenge of riding and learning new skills. I truly put my knowledge of mindfulness and growth mindset to work during my lessons and on horse show days. We are also a rugby family, and I love to watch my husband play when he boots up. We used to coach Blackthorn Rugby Football Club's high school girls team together before we had our daughter, and life then took us down another road. I can even sometimes still be convinced to lace up my boots to play in a charity game, but it's been a while.  

Education

In 2003, I graduated from Arcadia University where I attained my dual undergraduate degrees in early childhood and elementary education. Soon after, I began my first teaching job in Hatboro-Horsham School District. Over the next two years, I taught at both Pennypack and Simmons Elementary schools teaching Extended-Day kindergarten, in which I worked with academically at-risk students. In 2005 I became a member of the St. Alphonsus faculty teaching fourth grade. During my time at St. Alpnonsus School I had the privilege to teach both fourth and fifth grade, and was asked to become a member of the PLP (Powerful Learning Practices) Cohort. I am honored to be teaching fourth grade here at OLM since it opened in 2012.  In 2017 I became an instructor for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in the 21 Keys for High Performance Teaching and Learning. I have had the privilege to work with teachers throughout the diocese, which has been an honor and a privilege. This format of teaching growth mindset has not only changed how I perceive myself and the way I handle challenges, but has also allowed me to help my students begin to foster their own growth mindset and allow them to unlock and see their true potential. 

Favorites:

Food: sushi & hunting down delicious gluten free foods (which is harder than it sounds😉) - I was diagnosed a number of  years ago with celiac, so food became a challenge for awhile. 

Drink: coffee, Starbucks lattes,cherry coke, and grapefruit or lime seltzer waters 

Sweets: Perry's hot chocolate ice cream (will change your life...when you can find it), Oh Wow Cow's blueberry lemon ice cream, dark chocolate covered pomegranates, Reese peanut butter cups & Peanut M&Ms

Salty:  Utz's cheese balls &  popcorn

Movies: Guardians of the Galaxy movies, any of the Marvel Superhero movies (esp. Dr. Strange), Inside Out 2, Sweet Home Alabama, Top Gun (old and new)

TV Shows: When I get to sit down and not watch with Abby, I love...Downton Abbey, Gilmore Girls, Ted Lasso, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Loki, Wanda Vision, Mad Men, West Wing, and documentaries. Kara & Nate travel vlog on YouTube

Books: historical fiction (esp. WWII), autobiographies of nursing and medicine during all major wars, biographies, autobiographies/memoirs

Children's Novels: Harry Potter series &  Fish in a Tree

Color: pink, teal, navy blue 

Sports: Equestrian sports, rugby & hockey (GO FLYERS!)

Past Times: Riding horses, spending time at the barn, horses again,  reading,  working on my garden or house,  traveling in our RV, coloring/drawing with Abby

Subjects: Writing and history

Flower: Peonies, Ranunculus, Sunflowers