About Me

My starring role these days is as mom to two young boys, ages 4 and 2. Prior to that, I worked as the middle school science teacher in Haworth, New Jersey. Working in a small, K-8 school, I was responsible for teaching earth science to 6th graders, life science to 7th graders, and physical science to 8th graders. I also had the opportunity to teach a weekly 4th grade hands-on science class that supplemented the regular classroom instruction.

Not one to shy away from new opportunities for myself and my students, I formed the school's inaugural Science Olympiad team. I also collaborated with a colleague to plan and run a very popular week-long summer science camp for elementary students. During my teaching tenure, I attended every annual convention held by the New Jersey Science Teachers Association (NJSTA) and had the opportunity to present a workshop entitled "It's Elementary!" at the 2007 convention.

The greatest opportunity of my teaching career came during the summer of 2007 when I was invited to participate in the week-long NJSTA Maitland Simmons Life Science Institute. It was during the course of this amazing collaborative experience that I became determined to work to provide others with similarly stimulating, inspiring, educational opportunities. So while I have stepped away from directly teaching adolescent and pre-adolescent students, I am still reaching them through their newly excited, more confident teachers.

My education
I graduated in 2000 from the University of Wisconsin with a B.S. in pharmacology and toxicology, after beginning my collegiate career studying chemical engineering. I then attended Rutgers University Graduate School of Education. During my time there, I had the opportunity to split my student teaching between two classrooms: a fifth grade, self-contained classroom and a 7th grade life science class. I graduated with a Masters of Education in Early Childhood and Elementary Education in 2003.

Teaching Credentials
New Jersey:
Standard Certificate:
      Elementary School Teacher (K-8)

Vermont:
Level I Professional Educator's License
      Elementary Education (K-6) Endorsement