This is my 26th year of teaching!  I grew up in Connecticut and Vermont.  I attended the University of Vermont.  I majored in Elementary Education.  After graduation I left the beautiful Green Mountains for a new adventure in the mighty Rocky Mountains. I taught first grade at Colorado Visionary Academy in Parker, Colorado for my first year. Fort Collins was the next step in my Colorado adventure. I taught second and first grade at Putnam Elementary here in Fort Collins for many years. During that time at Putnam I earned my ESL endorsement and a Masters in Reading from UNC. In 2015 I was ready for a change in schools. I chose second grade at Tavelli and  have found my new teaching home. 

Teaching is my passion and I love how it is always evolving. In the previous summers I spent a week at DU attending a STEM training learning about problem based learning, a Smithsonian Institute training on science, a Teacher Clarity training focusing on unpacking standards and creating intentional and meaningful lessons with formative assessments, and an Orton Gillingham literacy training. Also, I attended the Visible Learning conference in Las Vegas and presented a session with my Tavelli Team on Assessment Capable Learners. This past summer I attended a multisensory learning and a math tasks class. These classes have given me great new ideas to use when teaching all subject areas. 

I am married to Nik Olsen.  He works in communications at CSU.  We have two boys, Henry and Tate.  They keep us very busy.  We like to be outdoors and visit new places.  We have two dogs, Roxie and Birdy.  This summer we traveled back to Vermont to spend time with my parents.  We also traveled to Belize for a week and saw amazing marine life.

 I love teaching at Tavelli and I love second grade! Each student is a gift to me.  I learn as much from my students as they do from me.  Learning side by side to foster a motivation and love for learning with my students is the best part of my job.  It is exciting to watch my students become even more the person they are meant to be.  My classroom is a fun, caring, and a safe place to grow as a second grade learner.