This is my 11th year teaching Special Education and this is my third year working at Great Expectations.

I love being a mother, gardening, scrapbooking, arts and crafts, and I love animal husbandry.  My family is very artistic and creative.  I think I'm a natural caretaker by nature.  After teaching pre-k through high school over the years, it's helped me to anticipate what lies ahead and understand what my students have already learned.  This is a way that I can show care to my students; I already know what they need to be prepared for and I want them to be successful, not stressed out or surprised by the unknown.  I hate the idea of sending a student into something that they are not ready for.

At one point, living with my mom in Georgia on our small three-acre farm (about 7 years ago), we had 40 chickens, 5 geese, 2 dogs, 3-4 horses at any given time (our farrier had donated horses that needed temporary homes), and a miniature donkey that was just 'over it', lol.  I've had animals in my life since a very young age and I thought that was my future; to pursue horseback riding and Hippotherapy.  I'm hopeful that I can return to that soon; I know my daughters are craving that connection.  I also wouldn't mind having a therapeutic animal in my classroom...hint, hint!  I desperately loved our geese, they were so special and unconditionally bonded to us.  I think of them often, Collete and Francois (French Toulouse).  Collete was in love with William and played with his sockets and tools.  Francois was smitten with me and was such a baby, always.  Such fond memories; no wonder they are the spirit animal of the Marines!