Welcome 5th GRaders!

Hello Students and Parents,

I've been teaching for 9 years. I decided to get my teaching credential when my daughter, Carissa, was in 4th grade. We lived in the Temecula area (located in Southern California) and I was subbing occasionally at her school while managing our family cabinet business. I attended Cal State San Marcos and earned my multiple subjects credential in 2011. Growing up in Murphys on Algiers Street, I attended Michelson (it was a K-8 school in 1980) and graduated from Bret Harte in 1984. After graduating high school, I lived a year in Israel as an exchange student and then pursued a B.A. in Communications from Cal State Fullerton in 1990.

My daughter, Carissa, 21, begins her senior year in college playing soccer at Graceland University in Iowa. She plays forward and right-mid, and is pursuing a degree in the medical field. I remind her how fortunate she is to be going back in-person this fall AND playing the sport she loves.

I moved back to Calaveras County three years ago, after having been gone 32 years. Once my daughter graduated high school, I gladly said "goodbye" to Southern California. All my family lives nearby. My mom, Pat, 84, lives in the Murphys Diggins. She taught piano and music at Mark Twain during her younger years. My sister, Ellen, lives in Folsom, and my brother, Barry, lives in Arnold with his wife, Heidi. My amazing step-mom, Carole, lives in San Andreas. Needless to say, I'm glad to be back in Calaveras County teaching your amazing children where I attended. It's very surreal!