From just about the very beginning...I have wanted to be a teacher. Well, maybe not from the VERY beginning (I can recall wanting to be a farmer at age five-I thought the overalls were pretty cool.) Other than my farmer phase, I have always wanted to teach. My sister and I used to play "school" with our stuffed animals, and I would teach them the basics- how to add and subtract, how to read, and how to write (all of the things every stuffed animal needs to know.)

Much, much later, I majored in education at Penn State University, and Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, where I received my bachelors degree. I later earned a masters degree in mathematics education for grades 5-9. I have taught in Columbus, Ohio, Milford, Kansas, and Smithfield, Pennsylvania. I first started working here at St. Francis in 2005.

It wasn't long after I started teaching at St. Francis that I was assigned to teach much of the middle school math classes. I was a bit hesitant at first, but actually ended up liking it much better than anything I had ever done before. (You never know what God has in store for you!)

I cannot believe I am about to say this, but...I LOVE MATH. Yes, I said it. I LOVE MATH. Working with numbers, manipulating them to solve a much larger problem, working collaboratively with students to solve difficult math problems- I love it all.

I also love working at St. Francis. I love the students and my colleagues on the middle school team. I am truly fortunate that God has placed me here.

As for more personal aspects of my life, I live in Pennsylvania with my husband, two sons and nine dogs. No, that's not a typo. That's NINE dogs. Our "pack" numbers have fluctuated over the years- we lost our amazing German Shepherd, Cammie in the summer of 2014 and four of our beloved beagles in 2015. Last August, our American Pit Bull Terrier went to heaven.  We look forward to seeing them again in heaven, and know that they are now enjoying being a part of Jesus' pack. 

So, our pack now consists of an XL American Bully (Lil Puppy) a Doberman (Dutch) and seven beagles (if you want to know the beagles' names, just ask!)  I love spending time outdoors with my both my human and canine family: camping, hiking, biking and riding my quad (four-wheeler.) When I am outdoors, I am constantly reminded that God is good, and that He is ever-present in my life. 

Natalie Moritz

Middle School Mathematics Instructor

nmoritz@sfccs.org