English 

Welcome to Kittredge School's 7th & 8th Grade 

English Language Arts & Literature 

Hello and welcome to the 2024–2025 school year!

 I am excited to begin my seventh year at Kittredge, a place that truly feels like home. The warmth and camaraderie of the faculty and the incredible students make this community a joy to be a part of every day. My connection runs deep—so much so that my daughter is also part of this school, and while she's still my "mini me," she's not so mini anymore!

As the 7th and 8th grade English teacher, my passion is fostering a love for reading, nurturing students' unique voices, and building their confidence as communicators and writers. I encourage depth of thought, critical thinking and creative self-expression. I aim to inspire creativity and encourage students to explore new approaches to expressing their ideas, helping them grow into deep thinkers and confident, articulate individuals.

Beyond the classroom, I am the proud mother of two girls—one graduating from Kittredge this year and another who is about to graduate from high school. Parenting two very different children, each with their own learning styles and needs, has made me a more intuitive and empathetic teacher. These personal experiences, combined with my professional background, enrich my teaching approach.

I’m originally from Hawaii, where I completed my education from preschool through college. In 1997, I graduated from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Education, majoring in English and Secondary Education. If I do the math (though it breaks my brain), the result highlights my long teaching career—obviously I love my job! Over the years, I’ve come to realize just how much I love teaching. Having  tried my hand in administration, I found myself drawn back to the classroom. The energy and fresh perspectives that students bring continue to inspire me, and I value the strong rapport I have with the students.

Though I’m an earth sign, my heart belongs to the water, especially the beach. When I’m not engrossed in a good book, you can often find me boogie boarding. I also love to travel (though I accomplish this more through daydreaming and wishful thinking than actually doing). The highlight of my travels this summer was discovering a perfectly preserved megalodon shark tooth on a beach in Florida—fortunately, megalodons are extinct, or I might not have returned to the water! I also have a keen interest in languages, having dabbled in French, Spanish, Hebrew, Mandarin, Japanese, and even a bit of Korean. While I’m far from fluent in any of them, teaching English remains my true forte.

And if my occasional purple hair, wardrobe, and the theme color on this website didn’t give it away, I proudly cheer for the Kittredge Purple Team. Go Team Purple!

Aloha!

Ms. Mara