My Professional Accomplishments  

• Member of the Service Den 

My Professional Passions & Strengths 

• Working collaboratively with others and boosting team morale. 
• Acquiring evidence-based practices to meet diverse student needs. 
• Lifelong learner focused on highly effective practices. 

My Personal Passions 

I grew up in Gaffney, SC next to the giant peachoid tower and moved to the Columbia area in 2015. I am an avid dog lover, and enjoy spending time with my dog Sam.  I enjoy football and baseball! I cheer for the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Braves every season. Spending time with my friends and family brings me the most joy. 

INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT

My Professional Accomplishments

Experience: 3 yrs. Advocate at S.C. Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities

9yrs. Preschool Teacher at St. Stephens Preschool, Lexington, S.C.

This is my 3rd year at NPE- GO Lions!

My Professional Passions & Strengths 

• I truly love interacting with the students everyday and watching them learn and grow!
• I love being a part of a team and learning from and collaborating with my colleagues.
• I strive to maintain a calm, positive, and encouraging outlook and demeanor. 

My Personal Passions 

I keep busy with my four teenagers and our menagerie of pets, which include 2 dogs, 2 cats, a ferret and a crested gecko. When not cheering on one of my children in their sports,  I love to read, garden, watch documentaries  and listen to music.  I have recently taken up Stand Up Paddleboarding and love being on Lake Murray. To me: “Life is more about the Journey than the Destination.” 

INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT

My Professional Accomplishments

• Experience:  15+ years as an IA, here in SC and in VT, in special education.
• Starting my 5th year as an NPE Lion!

My Professional Passions & Strengths 

• What you are great at: silly voices, different accents, singing, and finding the positive things in any situation
• What you are learning: more about :myself, my family, autism,  how to better individualize/tailor instruction and how to develop strong coping skills
• What is unique to you as a teacher: my zany sense of humor, flexibility, and genuine love for ALL children 

My Personal Passions 

-married to Mark for 29 years; two kids, Alyson (25) and Owen (22)

-moved to SC from Vermont in 2011;  winters are MUCH better here!

-the beach and Disneyworld are my favorite vacation spots

-I LOVE to sing; I often turn everyday tasks into silly songs; I also make up words, crashing 2 words together to create new ones like bump+accident=bumpcident

-football and hockey are my favorite sports; I pull for Carolina and all teams New Englandy (Patriots, Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox)       

Instructional Assistant