As I begin my twenty-first year in teaching, I am doing much soul-searching about my evolution as an educator and the state of education today. In an era of standardized testing and quite a bit of negativity, we often forget some of the amazing things happening in classrooms across America. Students have more access to information than ever before, and this is changing the way teachers interact with and teach students. It is an exciting time as teachers explore and share effective methods and strategies based on current research and experiences. As always, I strive to be the very best teacher I can be. However, what that meant to me almost twenty years ago (or even ten...or five!) is not what it means to me today. Above all, I yearn to grow as an educator and prepare our students for whatever path they choose. I ask you -- student, parent, colleague -- to help me be the best I can be, just as I pledge to help students be the best they can be. I look forward to working with you this year!

National Board Certified Teacher (December 2017)

University of the Cumberlands, M. Ed. Reading and Writing Specialist

Alice Lloyd College, B. A. Secondary English Education 8-12

Burch High School, Delbarton, WV