I began working in the Barry school system as a classroom aide in the spring of 1980. I found that I really enjoyed working with students, so I returned to school to earn my teaching certificate (I should have known I would end up teaching, since my mother, my two older sisters, my grandmother, and two aunts were all teachers). I did my student teaching at Barry under the supervision of Mrs. Linda Lueders, so I learned from one of the best in the business!

I held various jobs at Barry, including being the librarian and substituting. I then taught two years at West Pike Elementary. I enjoyed West Pike and made many friends there, but resigned after my second year in order to stay home for a while after the birth of our second child. I returned to Barry as the part-time reading improvement teacher, then became a full-time teacher in 1993. Starting in the 2007-2008 school year, I am teaching in the consolidated Western Community School District.  Over the past few years I have taught 5th grade, 6th grade, departmentalized 6th grade Social Studies and Science, a 4/5 split class, 7th grade Language Arts, 8th grade Social Studies, Middle School Local History, and 8th grade Ag Science. Currently I am teaching Junior High Social Studies. I really enjoy Junior High students, and history is my favorite subject, so this assignment is a good situation for me. This is such an interesting (and at times challenging) age. One of the special benefits of being a teacher is having the opportunity to get to know each individual student. The days are never dull in Junior High!