Our "Employee Spotlight" series aims to showcase the unique personalities, talents, and stories that contribute to the success of Lansing USD469. This section celebrates the incredible individuals who make our Lansing USD469 community thrive.
Question: How long have you worked in Lansing USD 469?
Answer: I have been a teacher in the district since the Fall of 2012. But, I also attended Lansing as a student from Kindergarten through graduation and I did my student teaching here as well!
Question: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and the role you have within the school district?
Answer: I am currently teaching 5th grade at the Intermediate School. I have also taught 3rd grade and been an interventionist in the past.
Question: What do you enjoy most about your role and the work you do in the school district?
Answer: The kids! Getting to have a hand in the development of their minds over the course of a year is such a monumental task, but one that I relish. 5th grade is an especially fun year because they are right on the cusp of middle school and really starting to find themselves and how they fit in the world. They make coming into work each day exciting and I know that I will never have the same experience two days in a row.
Question: When you're not working, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy?
Answer: When I'm not working, I can be found spending time with my family. I enjoy reading the latest fantasy novels, Legos, and coloring. My husband and I are huge foodies and are always on the hunt for new and exciting spots to grab a bite to eat. We just went to a little Spanish tapas spot, Gilda's, in Shawnee last weekend and it was delicious.
Question: Could you share a particularly heartwarming or memorable experience you've had while working with students or colleagues?
Answer: This year I have been trying to be more intentional about bringing joy into the school. On Fridays, I have been planning some sort of silly activity out in the hallway as the students arrive. I've handed out silly stickers, setup carnival style games, and last week I had the kids handing out compliment cards to adults in the building. What has made these Friday activities even more memorable was the picture I received one Friday morning that I was gone from my neighboring teacher. A few of my students had taken it upon themselves to setup a hallway game because so many students were disappointed there wasn't going to be a Friday activity because I was gone!
Question: What piece of advice would you like to offer to students to help them succeed and make the most of their educational journey?
Answer: The earlier you learn how to fail gracefully, the better! Making mistakes and failing are huge parts of life. When faced with a challenge, you usually have choices in how to handle it that are either positive or negative. Learning how to look positively at failures, especially as a kid when most of the time the problems are small, will only help you when you come to bigger hurdles later in life.