Spotlight on Mercer Island School District

2011-09-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

Gail Calvo - Second Grade Teacher

Location: West Mercer Elementary

Philosophy: “I love cooperative learning,” says Gail. “In a classroom there are varying degrees of abilities. One child is good in math, another in social studies. I encourage them to help each other, to give and take.” Gail believes that learning to cope in the world and problem-solve are as important as academics. “As the year progresses,” says Gail, “I encourage students to share their problems and explain how they resolved them.”

Gail also empowers her students to make a difference in the world. “One of the highlights in my second grade curriculum is the Giraffe Club project. This is where students stick out their necks, just like a giraffe to make a difference in their community. We study five different diverse leaders. Students then pick a community project where they can help out and make a difference. They learn about historical figures like Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave who helped to free other slaves. They were shocked to learn that people were once owned, and they learned how individuals can make a huge impact in the world.”

Typical day: : “I like a daily routine that is individualized and covers multiple subjects,” says Gail. “For instance, we have an activity called Word of the Day. Students find a word in the dictionary; write out the syllables and the definition. As the year progresses, they are to determine by how many 'words of the day' they've done how many school days there have been. Let’s say it’s 85 days. I challenge them to come up with an equation where only eights are used. They all do something unique, and then explain how they got their equation. When they can explain to you how they know the answer–those are the 'Ah Ha' moments for me, to see the joy when they understand.”

Best part of the job: “I have what’s known as “quiet lunch” in my classroom, because the main lunchroom is big and noisy and overwhelming for some kids. Now and then former students will ask if they can join me for quiet lunch, just because they miss me. As time passes, you realize how much you impact some children. All it takes is to sit and listen to them. Kids teach us. I learned a lot in 2nd grade, as a teacher!”

Something people may not know: “I love dance,” says Gail. “Ballet, everything. I love the theatre. If I could retire I’d travel the world watching dance and plays. And eating!” Gail’s 27-year old son Joshua went through MISD schools.

Years in district: Gail began as a classroom aide for Lujean Whitmore in 1991 and became a full-time teacher in 1997.

Outside interests: “I love to cook,” says Gail. “And I love to read books that relate to cooking!” Gail is also an avid baseball fan like her mother, and lists chocolate and gardening among other enthusiasms. She lives on Mercer Island with husband, Mark, and they recently celebrated 33 years of marriage.

2011-09-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Joby McGowan - Kindergarten Teacher

Location: Lakeridge Elementary

Philosophy: Starting kindergarten can be an overwhelming experience for five-year-olds. “When kids are scared,” Joby explains, “I attempt to validate their concern rather than try to solve it for them. Just knowing someone gets how you feel is all it takes to have clearer vision. It calms you. If someone isn’t validated they don’t hear what else you say.” Joby has found that validation helps to comfort parents, as well. “When parents register concerns they are only advocating for their child. Knowing there are other adults who attempt to understand their child gives them a sense of peace. My job is about helping people feel connected. Both kids and adults need that.”

Typical day: “I roll in and whip up the rigor.” says Joby. “Then I welcome students, facilitate problem-solving, teach kids how to read, write, and be mathematicians. They have a snack. We read some great children’s literature, and I high-five them on the way out the door so we can do it again the next day.”

Best part of the job: Joby says there are three best parts of the job: 1) Watching kids make connections to the real world, 2) Watching a classroom community develop, 3) Teaching kids how to look at situations from more than one perspective. “Seeing other perspectives wasn’t my strong suit during my early years in the district,” he admits. “I appreciate that I was given an opportunity to grow and improve in that department. Oddly enough, teaching kids to be flexible in their thinking is the most enjoyable part of the job for me now, though I still have plenty of room for growth in that area. I need these kids more than they need me.”

Something people may not know: Joby was the homecoming king at his small Iowa high school.

Years in district: Joby has worked for MISD for nine years. He has taught first and second grades as well as kindergarten.

Outside interests: Joby has a glass fusing studio in his home. He makes trays, wind chimes and a variety of other things. He has even taught his students to fuse glass. “When you empower kids to be responsible they can handle it.” Joby also enjoys resort vacations in sunny destinations. “My favorite trip was to Cancun,” he says. “I love eating out and ordering Crème Brule for dessert before dinner. You sit by the pool, you don’t have to clean up, and who doesn’t like to be waited on?” Joby lives in Greenlake.

2011-05-25T15:57:00.000-07:00

Barb Hallgren - Attendance Secretary and Fine Arts Secretary

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job description: The attendance office near the front entrance of the high school has a barista-like window facing onto the hallway. The person standing behind the window is often called upon to answer questions from passersby. Consequently, Barb sits at the other end of her office where she’s not easily seen. She does have a mirror above her desk should one of her TAs be unavailable. “If I sat at the window,” she laughs, “I’d never get anything done!” Officially, the attendance office is where students submit their absence-excuse notes. Barb ensures attendance accuracy and that all notes are filed. “If I didn’t have TAs,” she says, “it would be tough. They stand at the hallway window so I can do my work. I expect a lot from them.”

The Fine Arts portion of Barb’s job involves managing budgets for high school music, art, drama, and middle school music. She prepares open PO’s, processes bills and reconciles them against their respective budgets. “I move money around,” says Barb. “It’s a big job.” She also gathers the information for high school concerts, designs the layout of programs and produces them on the copy machine. She maintains the Fine Arts calendar for the district, coordinating with all elementary, IMS and HS music teachers.

Typical day: Barb begins her day at 7:30 a.m. For the first 45 minutes she is very busy with kids dropping off their absence notes. “It’s nonstop with a lot of ups-and-downs out of my chair,” says Barb. “It’s necessary to mesh both my jobs together and jump from one to the other as needed.”

Best part of the job: The students. “My first ten years in this district were spent as a paraprofessional at West Mercer,” says Barb. “I loved working with little kids. When I transferred to the high school I was afraid the students were going to eat me alive!” Happily, Barbs fears were unfounded. “It’s been wonderful,” she says. It’s also enabled her to track the progress of some students. “A young man came to my window and said ‘Mrs. Hallgren! You taught me how to read!’ I love seeing the kids grow up.”

Something people may not know: Barb graduated from MIHS. She married her almost-high school sweetheart, Dave – (“I met him just after I graduated”). She and Dave have been married for 37 years and still live on the Island.

Years in district: Barb has worked for the district for 21 years, starting as a paraprofessional at West Mercer when her children attended the school.

Outside interests: Barb loves spending time with family and friends. For 30 years, she and Dave have owned a little red cabin in Long Beach, WA. Says Barb, “We consider it glorified camping!” It’s 100 years old, 500 square feet, lacks insulation and a bathroom, but it does have an outhouse, a pitcher-pump kitchen sink, and a kerosene-stove heater. “It’s our home-away-from-home,” says Barb. Their other favorite getaway is a time-share in Hawaii, where they try to visit once a year. Barb and Dave have three grown children – Jason, Craig, and Lindsey, as well as a grandson, Landon. Barb loves to go for walks and to read.

2011-05-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

Patri Collins - 8th Grade US History and Film-Photo-Music Teacher

Location: Islander Middle School

Job description: Patri teaches US History, which spans the beginning of the American Revolution to the post civil war era, to a wide spectrum of students. His Film-Photo-Music class is a trimester-long class in art appreciation that covers the history of film and photography along with different genres of music.

Typical day: “I don’t come in like gangbusters in the morning,” says Patri, who starts the day with a prep-period. “I take the bus to work from the U-District, which,” he notes drily, “only takes a little over an hour.” His bike-ride home is a much swifter commute.

Patri tries to break away from a rote method of presenting history. “As a kid growing up in London,” he says, “I didn’t have to be sold on history. I want to get my students excited about history and to challenge their assumptions.” Since it’s impractical to take a field trip to Independence Hall, Patri uses a project-based, inquiry-based approach. Students might produce a radio show about the interaction between natural disasters and history. Or, write an acrostic poem about manifest destiny, learn about map-making, or draw cartoons about the Monroe Doctrine.

His Film-Photo-Music class is an elective, so there is no homework or traditional exercises. Instead, students explore different ways of looking at the world through various art forms. Patri shows them classic and foreign movies such Trip to the Moon, Demolition of a Wall, and the 1933 version of King Kong. “Once they get over the shock of subtitles and black and white,” he says, “they actually like them.” The class recently took a field trip to the Experience Music Project to see a Nirvana exhibit. Says Patri, “I asked them to dress in grunge (a flannel shirt and jeans thrift-store fashion style popularized by the band), “and several of the kids pointed out that I dress in grunge, normally.” The class also held a Beatles vs. Rolling Stones contest. Students learn about folk and blues music, too. In the spirit of Woody Guthrie, they wrote their own folk songs based on articles from the Mercer Island Reporter. “It’s a fun class,” says Patri.

Best part of the job: “It’s nice,” Patri says, “when students come back years later and tell me they remember my class.”

Something people may not know: “I was born in an ambulance,” says Patri. “I was the first baby the attendant had ever delivered.”

Years in district: Patri began teaching for the district in 2001.

Outside interests: “I am interested in the idea of planned communities,” says Patri. To that end, he likes to visit the sites of historical utopian communities in the Puget Sound area. “There were a lot of these places in the 19th century,” he explains. “Some were political, some were religious. None of them are still intact, and there’s usually not even a plaque to show they were there. But I just go for kicks, and it’s a good way to see the state.” Patri plays guitar and likes to travel. “The last time I left the country,” he says, “I went to Oman and the United Arab Emirates.” Patri also likes to read, visit art museums, and roll sushi. He and his wife, Jill, have a kindergarten-aged son, Felix. “Actually,” Patri confesses, “I spend most of my free time playing with Legos.”

2011-05-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

Ingrid Stipes - Fourth Grade Teacher

Location: West Mercer Elementary

How she sees her job: Beyond teaching district curriculum, “I teach kids how to think for themselves,” says Ingrid. “Today’s kids are very guided. They have so many things done for them. Busy lives in a hurried world have led us to this. I ask my kids to stop, look at what they are doing, and consider – ‘How do I think I did on this project? Did I work my hardest? Did I do quality work? What can I do differently next time?’ I want them to take it deeper. I don’t think 9-10 year olds are too young for that. I want them to know how to make informed decisions when they are grown up, to become productive and knowledgeable people of the world. I also teach time management, a skill they will need in the upper grades.”

Typical day: “The beauty of elementary school is that we are not on a fixed schedule,” Ingrid says. “We have the luxury of big blocks of time, so if a lesson gets really exciting we don’t have to stop.” Each day includes Readers Workshop, math, music, and literacy block. In addition, “every Wednesday we do an art project, no matter what!” Ingrid exclaims. “Art is a problem-solving experience. You can see into the minds of children in the art they create. But it’s not about the end product. It’s about what they learned during the process.”

Best part of the job: “Hanging out with 9-10 year olds who are full of new ideas, enthusiasms, and are excited about life. I feel lucky that I get to share in that. I found my niche in elementary school. I also feel really lucky to be with the excellent teachers and staff here at West Mercer.”

Something people may not know: “I’m a closet welder,“ Ingrid says, laughing. “I love to solder!” After a tin-smithing class, Ingrid designed a tin doll – a loose-limbed hanging piece. “I’m getting ready to solder some pleats in her skirt.”

Years in district: 33 years with MISD. Ingrid taught at the UW Lab School for four years prior, where she was trained to teach Special Education.

Outside interests: “I like to keep my old bones moving,” Ingrid says, laughing. She makes time for swimming and walking. Biking is an interest she shares with husband Jim, a retired MISD teacher. “We biked every day last summer,” says Ingrid. She also likes to read, and write poetry. Ingrid and Jim live on Mercer Island. They have three grown children – James, Sarah, and Matt. Now that the children are gone, a “darling barn cat named Cleo” keeps the household lively. “She’s a hoot!” says Ingrid.

2011-05-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Vicky Mann – Seventh-Grade Language Arts/Social Studies Teacher

Location: Islander Middle School

What she does: Vicky teaches two seventh-grade Language Arts/Social Studies (LA/SS) block classes, as well as one split-block class where she teaches the language arts section. “Language arts and social studies are so well-connected,” says Vicky. “Reading and writing is such a part of history, and it makes both subjects more interesting. We also explore current events and examine how they relate to issues from 200 years ago.” The social studies curriculum is Washington State history, which was transferred from ninth-grade to seventh-grade curriculum several years ago. “Initially,” says Vicky, “we feared it would be too dry for seventh-graders. I grew up in Massachusetts and I’m sure I took a class on Massachusetts history, but I don’t remember it.” IMS social studies teachers tailored the unit to their students. “Because it’s local, they can relate to it,” Vicky explains, “and so much of it is still new to me – a non-native– that it’s fresh and exciting. I hope I bring that to the kids.

Typical day: Vicky is in her classroom by 7:30 a.m. to answer email, confer with parents, and prepare for the day ahead. Class starts at 8:20 a.m. “We might work out of the textbook,” says Vicky, “read a story, or have a discussion. The kids try to get me to veer off on these crazy tangents so we can have long discussions!” Vicky has found that seventh-graders are stronger in verbal skills than written skills. “They are much more eager to talk,” she says, “than to write.” To develop writing skills, she has them write out their thoughts and arguments before allowing them to participate in discussions. “A large part of my day is spent encouraging them to work independently,” Vicky adds. “I’m always telling them, ‘use the tools you are given!’ They tend to want you to show them how to do it, rather than to follow instructions.” Tuesday through Thursday, Vicky can be found in the after-school Homework Center for students who need extra help or just a quiet space to do their homework. She normally ends her day around 5:00 p.m. “And I still have to take work home with me,” she confesses. “I’m trying not to, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.” After work she heads to the gym if she didn’t make it there that morning. “Going to the gym really helps me clear my head.”

Best part of the job: “I love the kids,” Vicky says, “but collaborating with the people at IMS makes it an incredible place to work. My friends say ‘don’t you just teach the same thing every year?’ but I don’t think there is any good teacher who is not a life-long learner. Keeping the material fresh and interesting is part of the job. The very first day of school is probably the scariest for me. The kids are staring at me with expectation, waiting for me to do my magic!” Vicky laughs. Some days, she feels she exceeds their expectations. “This job,” she says, “is about constantly becoming a better teacher, and I have a lot of help. We have so many resources in this district, but it’s the people who make it worthwhile.”

Something people may not know: “I had my glee on long before Glee!” Vicky laughs. In the summer of 1974, she sang with the acapella group, the Whiffenpoofs of Yale. “My high-school friends and I met them on vacation in Bermuda, and we sang Goin’ to the Chapel on stage.” Vicky met her husband, Hummie, at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she worked in the graphic design department and he was on a student visa from Canada. She followed him to Toronto where she got her Bachelors in Education at Ryerson University. After graduation, the couple moved to Los Angeles where Vicky obtained her teaching credentials, and became a special education junior high teacher. After visiting friends on Mercer Island, they moved here in 1996.

Years in district: This is Vicky’s 12th year with MISD. She began with the district as a long-term eighth-grade substitute. After being hired permanently, she taught one more year of eighth-grade before transferring to seventh-grade, which she has taught since.

Outside interests: “I don’t have a lot of time for outside interests,” says Vicky. But when she can, she enjoys films, world music, yoga, traveling, and her book club. Vicky’s husband, Hummie (yes, as Vicky explains, Hummie is his legal name but not the one he was born with – it’s a derivation of a young sister’s inability to pronounce his real name) is a film composer and an educator with his own program called the Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program which has recently become affiliated with the Seattle Film Institute. Their two daughters completed their school years in the Mercer Island School District. Sarah is a professional dancer in Los Angeles who will soon make her debut on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew. Jessi will graduate this year from George Washington University with a double major in dance and sociology, and will continue at GWU grad school to study public policy.

2011-05-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

Karen Sherwood – AP US History/Honors English Block and World History Teacher

Location: Mercer Island High School

What she does: “I love taking students beyond facts and statistics to examine the big themes in history and why it matters. It’s not my job to tell them what to think,” says Karen, “but to teach them TO think.” This distinction comes up frequently when evaluating our nation’s policies, both in the past and in the present. In a recent unit on industrialization-era immigration, Karen’s students had a lively debate on the question of what factors should influence our immigration policies. They’d studied different points of view regarding current Arizona immigration laws in the news, and were making connections to those of the past, comparing how attitudes have changed and evolved. In the block class, History and English combine well to teach students to articulate their opinions in a clear voice. “They all have fabulous ideas,” says Karen, “and our class helps them learn to formulate those ideas into coherent arguments with strong support.”

Typical day: Karen’s day begins with two block periods (four hours) of AP/Honors American Studies followed by her prep periods and then 7th period World History. Though classes are over by 3:00 pm, she regularly stays after school for individual writing conferences with students. Most evenings are devoted to grading papers and projects because, as she says, “I really try to give them meaningful feedback.” Collecting 120 AP-level essays at a time requires significant time commitments for grading beyond the regular work day.

Best part of the job: “The most exciting part,” says Karen, “is watching my students discover that they can be agents of change in the world.” Karen was the first MIHS teacher to participate in the Multicultural Scholarship Program run by Museum Without Walls, a non-profit educational organization. She accompanied students from MIHS and Rainier Beach High School on a Civil Rights tour of the American South. “It was so powerful for my kids,” says Karen. “They got to know the students from Rainier Beach and to see how different their lives are, even though they live only 10 miles away. They had meaningful discussions with them about race issues. They learned they could become people who make history happen.”

Something people may not know: “I am a total anglophile!” she says. “It stems from a three-week King Arthur study tour in eighth grade. My English teacher took us to England where we visited the fabled king’s haunts – places like Avalon and Glastonbury Abbey.” Her junior year of college at Oxford cemented her love for the UK. Born in Massachusetts, Karen and her family moved to Chicago, and then to Mercer Island. Karen is a 1991 graduate of MIHS. “I still have long-lasting, rich friendships from that time,” she says.

Years in district: This is Karen’s ninth year with MISD. “But I taught informally before that,” she says. As an employee of the City of Seattle, her job was to raise resources for emergency food providers. She created a middle school service-learning program to promote hunger-awareness on a local and global level. “The more I worked with the students, the more I realized how much I liked teaching,” she says. “It helped me focus my direction.”

Outside interests: Karen and her boyfriend, Jeff, like to kayak, and regularly visit the San Juans and the west coast of Canada. She credits her outdoor-loving boyfriend with pushing her to develop new skills in these pursuits. “I like that I’m not afraid to hop in a boat and have an adventure!” Karen also enjoys traveling, frequently visiting her sister Deborah who lives in the Netherlands. “Her home is a good base from which to jump around Europe.” Karen lives in Leschi. “I can see Mercer Island and the floating bridge from my balcony,” she says. “I check the traffic over my coffee in the morning!”

2011-05-02T15:39:00.000-07:00

David Bynum – Trip Coordinator, Bus Driver, and Driver Instructor

Location: Transportation Department

What he does: As a trip coordinator, David schedules transportation for field trips. He will assign an MISD bus or, for long trips, such as to Spokane or Ashland, Oregon, he will charter a bus through a tour-bus service. As a bus driver, he drives an elementary route in the morning and afternoon, and a Kindergarten-route midday. To keep their certification, all MISD bus drivers are required to receive training at yearly in-services. David updates his driver trainer certification each year before school starts, where he obtains new information to pass onto drivers in his position as driver instructor.

Typical day: Although some days as many as 14 field trips are scheduled, three to five trips per day is the average. From 7:30 to 8:30 in the morning, David reviews the day’s trips, confers with the lot mechanic, and handles last-minute changes. Then he ‘pre-trips’ his bus – a morning routine of about 50 checkpoints that all drivers perform – tasks like checking the gas, oil, and tires. He then drives his bus route for Island Park and Lakeridge. He is back at his desk by 9:30 am for more trip preparation. MISD has about 650 field trips per year. After his last route, he returns to his desk for more trip-planning before his workday ends.

Best part of the job: “It’s rewarding to use my skills and abilities in service to the schools,” says David, “and to pull off a challenging trip, such as graduation or Day of Service. It’s fun to interact with the kids and staff.”

Something people may not know: ““Everyone knows I love to golf,” says David. “I think I’m pretty transparent!”

Years in district: 11 years. Prior to joining MISD, David was a partner in a local construction business for 12 years.

Outside interests: In high school, David rebuilt several car engines. Because of that, when his automotive shop teacher was hospitalized, the substitute, who knew nothing about auto shop, asked David to teach the class for most of that year! “I really like teaching,” says David. “I like teaching new drivers, and teaching kids how to ride the bus.” David and his wife Paula, a software company accountant, will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary this summer. They have five children ages 17-31 – Christine, Colin, Matthew, Erin, and Hannah. The family has lived in the Lake Hills area of Bellevue for 25 years. David and Paula plan to move to Arizona when David retires in a few years.

2011-04-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

Ann Palmason – Music Teacher

Location: West Mercer Elementary School

What she does: Ann teaches elementary music using the Orff Method, developed by composer Carl Orff, in which musical concepts are learned through singing, dance, movement, drama and the playing of percussion instruments. She helped found the local Evergreen Orff Chapter which holds workshops and retreats in professional growth in music, and has helped train many music teachers. This June she will be teaching an Orff Music class to teachers at the University of Oregon. “The Orff Method is an active form of learning-by-doing that engages mind and body,” says Ann. “I try to create an atmosphere in my classroom that is expressive, and to bring all kinds of music and creative movement to the students. Music training not only helps with vocabulary, reading and writing, it also ties in with the district’s 2020 vision of personalized learning because the Orff method promotes using songs composed by the children themselves.” Ann’s students begin writing songs in kindergarten. Students have the opportunity to experiment with all sorts of instruments, too, from piano to recorder to ukulele to guitar. “This district has always supported music,” says Ann “and we are so lucky to have the PTA and the Foundation.”

Typical day: In the morning, Ann provides six half-hour sessions for different grade-levels, all before lunch. After lunch she teaches three more sessions. “It’s like this,” she says as she snaps her fingers rapidly - snap, snap, snap! “One class is leaving as the other arrives. I change hats from grade-to-grade in order to meet the needs of all age groups.”

Best part of the job: There are two ‘best parts’ for Ann: “Getting to know the kids,” she says, “and the fact that no two days are alike.” Because she minored in art during college, Ann incorporates artistic concepts into her music teaching. “The arts are an amazing way to teach kids. I get to work with their brains, their hearts and their senses of self. I’ll often give them lessons that are infused with art, color and design to show what they’re learning. As they grow up they will find art in everything.”

Something people may not know: “I love to windsurf,” says Ann. “A fellow teacher taught me how, years ago. He and I windsurfed most of the way around the island.” Ann also loves to climb, both mountains and buildings! She climbed Mt. Rainier and the old Mt. St. Helens before doing her really ‘Big Climb’ for lymphoma/leukemia research, walking up 69 flights of the Columbia Tower. Ann hails from a large Mercer Island family with roots on the north end of the island as well as with the school district. Ann and her sister still live on property purchased by their grandparents in 1911. Their father, aged 97, was a member of the school board when West Mercer was built, and both of Ann’s children attended West Mercer. Ann herself attended Mercer View Elementary when a boys’ detention camp was located at present-day Luther Burbank Park nearby. “Sometimes during class we’d hear a loud alarm go off, which meant a boy had just escaped!”

Years in district: Ann began her music-teaching career at MISD and will end it here when she retires in June. She started 39-years ago at South Mercer Junior High School, as well as elementary-level at Island Park, Mercer Crest, and Mercer View. She went on to teach in Bellevue, the Bush school (for 19 years), and six years in Edmonds. Ann returned to teaching on Mercer Island at West Mercer five years ago.

Outside interests: Ann and her husband Jon, a tenor, are very involved in the arts in Seattle. She sings in the choir and produces musicals for her church, and has performed in Gilbert and Sullivan shows. She and fellow teacher David Baxter (“my brilliant co-producer”) have produced musicals for West Mercer. Her entire family, in fact, is musically inclined. “My son, Scott, is an improvisational actor and also performs in musicals in Los Angeles. My daughter, Jenny, works for a record company in L.A. and is a wonderful soprano.”

Ann and Jon enjoy traveling. They’ve been to Iceland and have toured through Europe. After retirement, Ann will substitute-teach, visit museums, and possibly teach private music lessons. She also plans to create a home art studio and do a lot of cross-country skiing.

2011-04-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

Debra Vandegrift – Third Grade Teacher

Location: West Mercer Elementary School

Goal as a teacher: “I want to help each of my students grow as a learner,” says Debra. She has taught different age levels but believes “third grade is the best because that’s when students discover their passion for learning. They find that reading becomes a skill they can use. It’s so exciting!” Debra’s own passions are teaching science and math.

Another of Debra’s passions is the environment. “I love to tuck in a lesson on the environment where I can. The kids are composting leftovers from their snacks (apple cores and orange peels) and all paper towels used in the class. It gives them a feeling that they are not powerless. They can do things to keep their environment healthy.” Since 1994, Debra has taken students annually to Padilla Bay, a National Estuarine Research Reserve in Anacortes. At Padilla Bay, they learn that Puget Sound is a watershed, and their actions affect it. If they wash their car, the water goes into Puget Sound. They learn about playing their parts in taking care of the world. “If you talked to former students of mine,” says Debra, “they’d probably remember best our field trips to Northwest Trek and Padilla Bay. To think this is the last year I’ll go there with my class!” she exclaims, referring to her impending retirement.

Typical day: “Busy!” says Debra. “They walk in at 9:00 a.m., sit down and go to work.” In the morning, the class covers math and language arts. In the afternoon they alternate science and social studies. “At the end of the day I often hear them talk about how hard they worked. I have high expectations for them and want them to do their best.”

Something people may not know: Before kayaking became a common outdoor activity, Debra and her husband were paddling around in ‘ocean boats’ in the early 1980’s. “We put the first ocean boats in Yellowstone Lake,” she confides. The couple regularly took ocean-boat trips around Vancouver Island. “At a lot of the places we went,” says Debra, “we never saw anybody.” Now those pristine places are crowded with people and the ocean boats are gathering dust in the Vandegrift garage.

Years in district: In 1978 Debra joined MISD as a special education teacher at Mercer View Elementary, eventually transitioning to general-education third grade. She will retire at the end of this school year.

Outside interests: Debra is a self-confessed ‘bird nerd’ who enjoys hiking, gardening, and reading. She and her husband, Eric, live in Wallingford. “Our backyard is always full of birds,” says Debra. “Also a worm bin and a goldfish pond. This way, we don’t need a pet-sitter when we travel!” The couple went to Yellowstone last summer, and think of Costa Rica as an all-time favorite destination. “If you’re a birder,” says Debra, “it’s an absolute must-do trip.”

2011-03-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

Vicki Wittenberger – Speech Pathologist

Location: Lakeridge Elementary School

Job description: As a speech pathologist, Vicki evaluates and delivers specialized instruction for students with language, articulation, fluency and voice disorders.

Typical day: In the morning, Vicki attends meetings with staff and/or parents, organizes her day ahead, and works on student evaluations and plans, otherwise known as IEP’s. “There is a lot of paperwork,” says Vicki, although nowadays most of it is done online. She has seen many changes in her 40 years with MISD. “When I first started in 1971, I had a caseload of 110 kids. There weren’t any special education laws then, so we had very little paperwork. Ideally now, a full-time caseload would be 45 students.

At 9:20 a.m., when school starts, Vicki sees students individually or in groups of up to four, every half hour. She works with them on their individual speech and/or language goals. As an example, some children have difficulty pronouncing their ‘R’s. Vicki likes to focus on a sound they are able to make, such as the ‘K’ sound and work towards the ‘R’ sound. As both are made with the same high, back tongue position, this muscle work is a way of tricking the tongue. Eventually the tongue is strong enough and the students are on their way to correction.

Best part of the job: “All the staff I have worked with over the years.” But for Vicki, the greatest reward has been working with students. “I feel like I’ve made a difference in a lot of kids’ lives.”

Something people may not know: “I’ve been here since I was 21 years old!” Vicki exclaims. “There’s not much about me that people don’t know!”

Years in district: Vicki started at MISD in 1971 and student taught at Mercer Crest Elementary in 2nd grade and in speech therapy. When a space opened up that year, Vicki, who has a dual-degree, became a full-time speech pathologist, and began shuttling between different schools for the next 40 years. “I’ve been at every school that ever existed in this district!” Vicki says. “But I’ve been at Lakeridge continuously throughout, and it’s always been home.” Vicki will retire at the end of this school year. “I don’t know how I’ll do it,” she says. “I may come back as a substitute!”

Outside interests: “I guess I’d better find some, eh?” Vicki jokes, referring to her impending retirement. Actually, she is an avid quilter and loves to travel. “Last year, my husband and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in Europe,” says Vicki. “We spent four weeks touring Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, and London. We wanted to do it while we could still jump on the trains!” At home, Vicki enjoys running, riding her bike and hopes to do more volunteering. She and husband, Mike, whom she met while in high school – he was the older brother of a friend – also enjoy golfing. Vicki and Mike live in Bellevue and have two sons, Jason, who is married, and Jeff, who will be married this summer.

2011-03-17T10:12:00.001-07:00

Clay Laughary - Technology TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment)

Location: Mercer Island High School and Crest Learning Center

Job goal: Clay’s primary goal is to help teachers and staff learn to use technology effectively in their teaching. He tackles problems and questions as they arise, holds before- and after-school training sessions for teachers and staff, and confers individually with staff as the need arises.

Typical day: It might include researching and implementing technology for specific lessons or units, going into classrooms to assist teachers with new programs, researching iPad applications and then making staff aware of the applicable ones, fielding technology integration questions, and training staff on a variety of technology usages. This is Clay’s first year as a technology TOSA. He’s on leave from his regular position as a math teacher. "People aren’t going to ask me to teach poetry, but if they want a poetry blog so students can have a more authentic audience and have "conversations" about each other's work, I can help set up the blog! It’s a lot of multi-tasking. Actually, I like to think of it as ‘multi-switching.’” Demonstrating his ability to multi-switch during this interview, he asked, “What’s the next question?” as he downloaded a program that would help this interviewer with transcribing.

Best part of the job: “Helping to smooth out some of the frustrations that teachers have with technology,” says Clay. “I know how busy the days are when you teach. It’s valuable to have someone on hand to make technology tasks easier and faster.”

Something people may not know: Clay is an award-winning baker! At his previous school, Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, his apple pie won first prize in the annual pie-baking contest. “I think it won because the crust had a maple leaf design and it was really flaky,” says Clay. “I spent a lot of time on it, and no, I’m not giving up my pie-baking secrets!” Clay, who completed his National Board Teacher certification in 2009, might have trouble locating that particular certificate but, “I know exactly where my winning pie contest certificate is!”, he says with a laugh. (It’s hanging in his school office). Clay’s family prizes his baking talents, as well—every Thanksgiving there is a standing order for his rolls.

Years in district: This is Clay’s sixth year with the district. He followed older brother Creighton to MIHS several years after Creighton was hired as an English teacher. Two brothers who share a last name and whose first names start with C sometimes cause workplace confusion but, surprisingly, “we look nothing alike,” says Clay.

Outside interests: Clay is a competitive Life Master bridge player. ”I should be a Bronze Life Master before summer starts. And I’m looking forward to playing in the National tournament held in Seattle this upcoming fall,” says Clay. “I try to play in a club game at least once a week.” Clay grew up in Spokane, WA, attended WABASH College, and earned his Masters in Teaching at Arizona State.

2011-02-23T20:47:00.001-08:00

Marlene Liranzo - Family and Consumer Science Teacher

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job description: Marlene teaches Image, a course that is mainly for grades 9-10, and Personal and Family Relations (PFR ), a course geared primarily towards grades 11-12. “My classes are about life,” says Marlene. Image, billed as a time management, organizational skills, team building and cooperative learning skills course, covers a spectrum of ‘life’ topics including stress management, self-esteem, healthy coping skills, nutrition, fitness, healthy relationships, and internet safety. PFR covers topics such as goal setting, listening skills, conflict resolution, sexual assault information, alcohol and drug issues, parenting choices, financial health, and social concerns. “I am into happiness,” says Marlene. “I want to be a role model for health. I want my students to see that they can choose to be positive and to take care of themselves. I think parents recognize the importance of these classes and believe they are good for their kids.”

Typical day: “Very hectic!” says Marlene, who works closely with MI Youth and Family Services, colleagues and community experts on regular class presentations. Any day might include a representative from Youth Eastside Services to talk about dating violence. Someone else from the Public Health Department might be in to discuss sexuality. Ron Feinberg, a Mercer Island clinical social worker, has given talks about relationships. Betsy Zuber, from MIYFS, regularly presents information about aging. Why do high school students need to learn about aging? “Because,” says Marlene, “by the year 2030, for the first time in history, there will be more older people than younger people in the United States. These kids will be a part of that demographic.” Betsy also talks to the PFR class about aging relatives and dementia. “I learn from our resource people, too!” says Marlene.

Besides teaching classes, Marlene co-chairs the CTE department and is an advisor to the Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) club, which orchestrates drives for homeless shelters and Childhaven, and presents talks on subjects such as suicide prevention. She is also co-advisor (with Cathy Gentino) for Natural Helpers. The Natural Helpers club is comprised of a group of 9-12^th graders who are selected by their peers to develop their natural communication and empathy skills. These students are identified in their school community as safe people to go to for help with problems who can provide resources, including referring to an adult, if necessary.

Best part of the job: “The kids,” says Marlene. “They are funny and dear. I try to connect with them so that by the end of the semester they will know I’m here as a resource for them and also, maybe, for other people in their lives because relationships are part of health. Even if just one kid knows I’m here and that I care, it makes it worth it for me.” Marlene cherishes the connections she has made over the years and marvels at how small the world can be. “Last Christmas I was in Cabo, watching a Husky game, and a former student found me in the crowd and came up to talk. Another time, I ran into a former student when I was in Sorrento, Italy!”

Something people may not know: “I love humor and being silly,” says Marlene. “The kids make me laugh. I joke with them that I want to be a standup comic and use material about THEM!”

Years in district: Marlene started at Mercer Island School District when her daughter was in first grade in 1987. Her daughter, Lindsey, is now a teacher herself.

Outside interests: Marlene is big-time Husky fan and has season tickets. She lives in Sammamish with her husband, Rich. She enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with daughter and son-in-law, Lindsey and Matt, and son, Michael. Traveling is a favorite thing to do, and she never knows which former student she might run into!

2011-02-23T20:21:00.001-08:00

Libby Wotipka – Third-Grade Hand-in-Hand Paraprofessional

Location: Island Park Elementary

Job description: “I imagine my job is what being a grandparent is like,” says Libby, “We get the fun stuff, while the teachers and counselors, like parents, have the hard work.” But a paraprofessional’s job is more than just fun – it’s hard work, too. Hand-n-Hand Paraprofessionals are unique to Island Park Elementary. The positions are funded entirely by parent donations. They help in classrooms providing learning support and friendship support. “I work with students in small groups and observe things that teachers don’t always have time to see. I catch wind of problems and report my concerns to the teachers and counselors. We brainstorm together to come up with solutions.”

Typical day: “We rarely sit down during the day,” says Libby. “I’m lucky if I get a minute to check emails in the morning!” Libby rotates between all of the third-grade classrooms, where she helps small groups with reading, math, computer lab, or science. “Our third grade has 107 kids and you actually do get to know each of them pretty well.” In addition to her assistance in the classrooms, Libby conducts ‘recess camp’ for 3-5^th graders once a day. Children who are struggling, having trouble making friends, or are simply quieter souls looking for alternatives to the playground, thrive with the TLC provided in recess camp.

“Working quietly on a project in camp will often help children with behavioral issues improve without negative intervention,” Libby says. For her recess camp, Libby started a sewing group that caught on like wildfire with the girls, but not many boys were interested so she started a Lego project for them. “Sometimes we have 30 kids crammed into our little workroom!” Wanting to teach her kids to reach out beyond themselves to those less fortunate, Libby developed the ‘pillows for homeless kids’ project. Both girls and boys took to this sewing project. “On weekends while watching the football game with my husband, I’d cut shapes out of polar fleece – aliens, birds, fish – for the kids to use in their pillow designs.” They pin their creations together, and, until recently, Libby took their pieces home to sew together on her mom’s old sewing machine. But after the PTA granted her request for an inexpensive sewing machine to use at school, they can now do their own sewing. “The kids like the idea of helping others and are okay with not keeping their pillows for themselves. They can always make their own at home,” says Libby.

Best part of the job: While Libby cites the creativity and variety of her job as major perks, she concedes that the best part is “when you connect with a child and they have that ‘aHA’ moment. It’s a terrific feeling.”

Something people may not know: During college, Libby worked in fish canneries in Seattle, the San Juans, and Alaska. “They were smelly, long hours and it was a lot of hard work,” says Libby, “but it paid great. I am not big on cooking fish today but if someone else cooks it, I’ll eat it.” The same goes for donuts, due to a high school job at Winchell’s, which was located on the present-day site of the downtown Bellevue Park.

Years in district: This is Libby’s sixth year with MISD.

Outside interests: Skiing and knitting are two of Libby’s passions. She often, surprisingly, pairs them together – knitting during weekend drives to the mountain passes to ski. “I’m a novice knitter.” Libby confesses, her New Years resolution was to learn to make Norwegian hats.

2011-02-01T16:24:00.000-08:00

Tracy Davis – Fifth Grade Teacher

Location: West Mercer

Her job: Tracy uses the principle of Multiple Intelligences in her classroom. Multiple Intelligences theory suggests that there are limitations to I.Q. testing. Instead, a child (or adult) will have natural affinities for one or two of the following multiple intelligences:
• Linguistic intelligence – word smart
• Logical-mathematical intelligence – number/reasoning smart
• Spatial intelligence – picture smart
• Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence – body smart
• Musical intelligence – music smart
• Interpersonal intelligence – people smart
• Intrapersonal intelligence – self smart
• Naturalist intelligence – nature smart

In the beginning of the school year, Tracy helps her students discover what their learning strengths are. She then tries to craft personalized lessons that will align with those strengths. “I got my Masters in Creative Arts in Learning,” Tracy says. “It’s all about visual arts, drama, movement, poetry, and story-telling. Personalized learning makes teaching so fun for me!”

Typical day highlight: “I love adding some kind of art throughout all subjects,” says Tracy. The class is currently doing a science unit on the human body. “They each read a book about a physical or mental disability,” Tracy explains. “Then they research the disability and complete a project using options that I provide through the Multiple Intelligences.”

Best part of the job: “Brainstorming how to be more creative in my teaching,” says Tracy. “I stick to the curriculum but love coming up with new ways to make it interesting. I taught art at various Mercer Island schools. That’s why I love to integrate arts in the curriculum. Doing this with fifth graders is great because they are still young enough not to think it’s silly. They can still be kids.”

Something people may not know: After growing up on Mercer Island and graduating from college, Tracy became a flight attendant for American Airlines. “I loved the traveling,” Tracy confesses, “but being a flight attendant was hard living. I shared a one-bedroom apartment with six girls in New York City. I had to leave for work three hours early on the subway. It was a great after-college job because I got to travel, but I barely got by, financially.” After three years, Tracy quit the airline and became a substitute for MISD.

Years in district: This is Tracy’s 16th year with MISD.

Outside interests: Tracy enjoys playing tennis and swimming. Husband Jon was a teacher for the Bellevue School District in the 90’s but left teaching for a sales job. When Jon and Tracy married three years ago, Jon decided to return to teaching. He started a job this year as a Learning Support paraprofessional at Lakeridge and “he loves getting back into the classroom teaching kids, boosting their self esteem,” says Tracy. She and Jon have a blended family of four children, ages 9, 12, 13, and 14. Though they live on Mercer Island, the family recently purchased a weekend getaway/future retirement home in Cle Elum.

2011-02-01T16:11:00.000-08:00

Jan Lamont – Administrative Assistant for Human Resources

Location: Administration Building

Job description: As assistant to the HR coordinator, Jan processes all employment applications, prepares job announcements and posts them to the district’s website. She is in charge of maintaining all personnel files, including subs, coaches and archived files. Certificated staff must complete 150 clock hours over 5 years to maintain a continuing teaching certificate or to move up on the salary schedule, and Jan assists them by recording their continuing education clock hours. Jan meets with new employees, subs and coaches, and processes their paperwork, fingerprint info, answers questions about benefits and retirement. She prepares the contracts and letters of assignments for all employees.

Typical day: For Jan, it begins at 7:00 a.m. by answering the voicemails and emails that have come in overnight. Then she tackles the project of the moment. Currently, the payroll and human resources departments are in the process of moving to Skyward. It is a new interface to the main database where school districts house all of their records on students and personnel. “We have to clean up a lot of data for the big conversion in April,” says Jan. “It’s a steep learning curve, but we’re getting trained monthly in Everett.” The rest of her day is filled with greeting applicants, welcoming new employees, and answering employment and benefits questions for current employees. “I am a people-person,” says Jan, “so I especially enjoy that part of my job.” “I do a lot of tracking,” says Jan. “I track mandatory employee trainings, staff evaluations, optional hours and technology training forms. A lot of different things go on in our department.”

Best part of the job: “Of course, I work for the best boss in the world,” Jan smiles, referring to Judy Shannon, the HR coordinator. “She’s like no other boss…kind, caring, funny, she’s just great.” Another highlight for Jan is the opportunity to meet new people and learn about current employees. “I’ve always been good at connecting people,” she says. “In a previous job, I knew a person who needed to sell her house. I knew another person who wanted to buy one. I set the two of them up and they closed the deal! I guess you could call it matchmaking.” And yes, over the years she has instigated one or two meetings that led to marriage.

Something people may not know: Jan owned and managed a secretarial/answering service company for 22 years. She also worked in the Issaquah School District for six years prior to MISD. “I dragged my husband, John, out of retirement to be a full-time bus driver,” Jan says. “He was bored, he needed something to do. He loves the eclectic group of drivers he gets to work with, as well as the kids he drives and their parents.”

Years in district: Nine years. Jan started as the receptionist in the MISD administration building.

Outside interests: “I like anything that involves the great outdoors,” Jan says. “I ski, bike and hike.” She and John travel frequently. A favorite destination is Hawaii, where they regularly house/dog sit for two families. “It’s wonderful. We get to be in the sun, play with dogs, and stay in palatial houses.” Back home in Sammamish, Jan and John enjoy spending time with their grown children, son Kevin, and son Darren and daughter-in-law Tracy. The family is completed by two border collies, Louie and Pepper. Jan has a low-key side business as provider of border collie puppies to many district employees. “I often get Christmas cards from MISD employees with pictures of the dogs they got from me. They love them so much!”

2011-01-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

Jane Sullivan – MIHS Special Education Teacher/Case Manager

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job description: Jane teaches students in grades 9 through 12 who have been identified as needing specially designed instruction in one or more areas. She manages their caseloads and liaisons with their general education teachers, families, outside consultants, and specialists, such as speech and language pathologists.

Typical day: “It’s long!” Jane replies, laughing, when asked to describe one. Jane teaches three resource classes, where her students work on individual learning goals. As an example, “One might be learning to edit an essay,” Jane offers. “The goal would be to read an unedited paragraph and identify and correct grammar, punctuation and word usage with 75% accuracy. The I.E.P's (Individual Education Plans) are very specific.” After Resource Room, Jane teaches two Foundations classes, which is a special education class in U.S. history and math.

Best part of the job: “When one of my kids feels successful according to his or her own terms,” says Jane, “and not by how society defines success. We all, every one of us, have things we’re not so good at. Learning is hard. If I were to study ballet or the Russian language, I'd make lots of mistakes and be frustrated. When my students walk through the classroom door, I want them to feel welcome and that this is a good place to be. If they can't do something one way, we will find another way. These kids are amazing. I learn from them every day.”

Something people may not know: Jane hated high school, and was not a good student, but went on to graduate from college and earn two masters degrees. Jane had another career for 25 years prior to becoming a teacher. She was in the apparel manufacturing business, with Levi Strauss in San Francisco, and moved to Seattle to become a vice president of merchandizing and design for Britania and Union Bay, finally ending up at Eddie Bauer as a director of women’s product development. After starting her own line of women’s apparel called Favour she decided to change careers - says Jane, “all that travel got old, and the job was definitely not rewarding.” In the MIHS special education classrooms, everything matters. Says Jane, “I used to sit around and agonize over how many boot cut and straight leg and stone washed jeans needed to be in the product line. It doesn't matter!” So Jane went back to school 25 years after earning a Masters in Business, and earned an endorsement in history at the UW. “In college, I figured out how I learned and I loved it. I could go to school for the rest of my life!” She went on to get her Masters in teaching at Seattle University and is now a fully endorsed special education teacher.

Years in district: This is Jane’s eighth year with MISD.

Outside interests: Jane is mother to five children in a blended family; two of her children went through the special education system at MIHS. "I am very proud of all my kids,” she says. “They are each successful and unique.” Jane enjoys sports and keeps fit with bicycling, skiing, and yoga. She also likes to read, and travel. Jane moved to Seattle three years ago after 20 years of living on Mercer Island.

2010-12-01T10:52:00.000-08:00

Tyson Peters – Integrated Social Studies/World Cultures Teacher, Head Boys Golf Coach, Kids Corp. Club Advisor

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job description: Tyson teaches an integrated sophomore Social Studies/World Cultures course with English teacher, Erica Hill. Instead of a traditional 50-minute period, they take turns teaching two periods, back-to-back. This block class contains 60 students instead of 30. “Integrated block classes offer a few different benefits,” says Tyson. While his class studied Nigeria’s declaration of independence from Great Britain, Erica’s class read Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe's acclaimed account of Nigerian life before and after colonialism. “The kids get more than facts,” Tyson explains, “they get the depth that comes from feeling and understanding. Also, class time is longer, which gives us more opportunity for varied types of lessons – role-playing, making movies, and oral presentations.”

Tyson challenges his students to develop their own opinions about historical events. “Written history is often biased, depending on who wrote it,” Tyson explains. “Who’s to say only one source has the truth?” Currently, Tyson’s class is in the middle of their Age of Exploration and Colonization unit, studying various accounts of Christopher Columbus by reading his journals, perspectives of the Native Americans, and books by modern historians.

Tyson is proud of the boys’ golf team, which just finished their season. “It was a great year,” he says. “We have won four of the last six KingCo titles, and were State champs in 2005. We hope we will be again this year!”

Tyson is also an advisor for Kids Corp. Club, which matches elementary students to high school student tutors. “The idea is that young kids often respond better to working with a high school student rather than a parent or another adult,” Tyson explains. “It’s a student-managed and operated club. I’m there to provide assistance and help facilitate between families and tutors. Some of our high school students have generated really good relationships with elementary students.”

Best part of the job: “I enjoy being in an academic and social environment where you are building relationships with pretty amazing students and staff,” says Tyson. “We’ve got four history teachers and two English teachers sharing the same office,” says Tyson. “Between my coworkers and my students, I get to have great philosophical discussions. You don’t necessarily get that perk in other work environments!”

Something people may not know: “I love snow!” says Tyson with a chuckle. “Snow, more than anything else, brings out my inner child. Actually, I just love the outdoors in general.” Tyson enjoys backcountry skiing in winter, golf and hiking in spring and summer.

Years in district: This is Tyson’s ninth year with MISD.

Outside interests: While growing up in Washington State, Tyson developed a love of travel. “My family (his parents were both teachers) took trips every summer, all across the U.S. and to Europe. Afterwards, I found it fun to learn about the place I’d just been to. Today, my travels add dimension to the subjects I teach.” Tyson’s last big trip was to India, and he would like someday to travel to the Middle East and East Asia. But for now, travel may have to take a backseat to juggling family life. Tyson lives in West Seattle with his wife Yvonne, an attorney, and their children – Julian, age five, and Lila, five months. With the arrival of the new baby, Tyson says, “we are getting used to having a fourth person around the house!”

2010-11-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

Shannon Verschueren - Crest Special Education Teacher/Case Manager, Resource Room/Structured Study Social Skills, HS Drill Team Coach

Location: Mercer Island High School and Crest Learning Center

Job description: Shannon provides direct instruction for students with I.E.P.’s (Individual Education Plans) who need support and additional instruction to be successful in general education. This might involve academic subjects like math, reading, or writing, or it could include instruction in organizational and personal skills. In her social skills class, for instance, students grapple with such subjects as how to go on a date or how to act on an airplane, via games, role play, and problem-solving questions. Shannon is fascinated by the differences in the way students learn and how their brains work. “I could have a student who is in AP level science but doesn’t understand how to have a conversation.” Shannon keeps in touch with students after they graduate, and has received a lot of positive feedback as they navigate through college. “Every day there is something to celebrate.”

Typical day: “My typical day is as structured as humanly possible!” says Shannon. “I have so many kids doing so many different things. Each of my students has a goal sheet so that he or she knows what to work on. Flexibility is the name of the game here.” Shannon, who would be a professional organizer if she weren’t a teacher, feels it is never too early to learn organization skills.

In her first period of the day, at Crest, Shannon focuses on self-advocacy. “When my students go to college,” she says, “they will need to know how to get extra support if they need it.” She does the same the rest of the day with her students at the high school, where she teaches structured study and social skills classes in the resource room, as well as one drill team class. “We are called Case Managers because we help the kids manage their time and plan long-term goals,” Shannon explains. “From eighth grade on, we begin asking them what they’re going to do after high school. They express their interests, and we help them determine the steps to get there.”

Best part of the job: “I love community building,” says Shannon. Working at both Crest, the high school, and as a drill team coach, has given her that opportunity. “Bridging the gap between special education students and Crest students has been awesome,” says Shannon. She has hosted dinner parties for the drill team at Crest, enlightening team members to the fact that there are summer class offerings at Crest. Shannon, who went to Mercer Island schools, learned early about the importance of interested teachers who are invested in the well being of their students. “I had great relationships with all my teachers,” says Shannon. “During times of stress, my teachers were my pillars of support, consistency and comfort.”

Something people may not know: Shannon is deeply rooted to Mercer Island. In fact, her senior class voted her most likely never to leave! Her mother graduated from MIHS in 1974, and Shannon herself graduated from MIHS in 2002. Several generations of Shannon's large family continue to live on the island today.

Years in district: This is Shannon’s third year with MISD.

Outside interests: “I've always done drill team; I was on the team for three years,” says Shannon. “It's a huge part of my life.” She also dances, (hip hop, jazz, ballet) and scrapbooks. She and her boyfriend, Matt Stock, also an MIHS grad, enjoy traveling. Shannon was a chaperone on the MIHS Senior Vietnam trip in February 2010. The money raised by the individual students and families funded orphanages there. The experience, says Shannon, was “life-altering. It was great to feel connected with so many kids I never would have had in classes otherwise.”

2010-11-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

Bruce Harrington – Sixth Grade Language Arts/Social Studies Teacher

Location: Islander Middle School

How he sees his job: Before becoming a teacher in 2002, Bruce fulfilled a ten-year calling as a pastor. Teaching, he says, is a similar calling. “Teaching has a different book, a different bell, and a different building, but it’s the same job. It’s helping people discover themselves.” He encourages his sixth-graders to “do things in life you’ve never done before. Find your passion. Read a book from a different genre, take a class in something you’ve always wanted to learn – a musical instrument, a language, try skydiving. Challenge yourself! You have a whole life ahead of you — don’t put yourself in a box.” He offers himself as an example. “I NEVER would have predicted I’d end up teaching sixth grade! I wanted to be Indiana Jones! My hardest years in school were during junior high. But those experiences help me relate to my students and the issues they struggle with.”

Typical day: Bruce arises at 5:00 a.m. and walks his dog Jezebel, a ‘pound puppy’ of unknown lineage, for 45 minutes. He arrives at IMS at 7:00 a.m., allowing over an hour to finish planning the day ahead, snag a place at the copier before a line forms, and check in with his sixth grade teaching team. At 8:20 a.m. the bell rings and his classroom floods with energetic sixth-graders, bearing news items gleaned from CNN and the like. “I want my kids to be aware of social studies in the news,” Bruce explains. “They are constantly rushing up to me with articles about such topics as Stonehenge or some newly discovered Egyptian mummies.” Bruce teaches two LA/SS block periods. His final period of the day is a prep-period, when he confers again with his sixth grade teaching team, discussing things like student issues, curriculum, and field trips.

Best part of the job: “Seeing students’ pride after they’ve done something they didn’t think they could do,” says Bruce. For example, his sixth-grade language arts culminating project is a 16 page story which students write and illustrate and bind into an actual ‘book.’ The content may be any genre they choose – fiction, non-fiction, or fantasy. “In the beginning of the year,” says Bruce, “getting a sixth-grader to write a full paragraph is like pulling teeth. By June, they will have illustrated and ‘authored’ their own book, something of which they are extremely proud.”

Something people may not know: Bruce grew up in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. As a young boy during the 1976 Bicentennial, he participated in many state celebrations. “My dad was a reenactor. He played an American Revolutionary Minuteman, adopting the persona of an ancestor who actually fought in the Revolutionary war. I was a flag bearer in the parades.” Bruce was a member of the color guard that greeted Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Boston. Bruce graduated from Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts, and received his grad degree in education from Worcester State (College) University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Years in district: Bruce is in his seventh year with MISD.

Outside interests: Bruce lives in Seattle near Garfield High School. He plays the piano and enjoys gardening. “People think I’m crazy, but I LOVE yard work! I could mow the lawn seven days a week.” Bruce also has an interest in genealogy and is researching a complete family history for the benefit of his niece and nephew, tracing his family lines from the present all the way to the court of Queen Elizabeth I.

2010-11-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

Amy Kerby – Kindergarten Teacher

Location: Island Park Elementary

How she sees her job: “I want to give my students a positive introduction to school. I want to help them become independent learners by providing them with choices, and teaching them to explore their surroundings. My class is a place where they learn to interact socially, follow directions, and develop skills to help them become learners with a zest for life and learning.”

Typical day: “Our day starts with a ‘calendar routine,’” says Amy. “We sing the days of the week, and review the day ahead. We have a student ‘meteorologist’ who reports on the weather. We track how many days we’ve been in school, which is a lesson in math.” The students break for recess, which is only for kindergarteners so as not to be overwhelming. After recess, they have a Literacy period, where they blend words and talk about sounds, while simultaneously learning sign language for the new words, a practice that helps kinesthetic learners. “The kids can sing/sign Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and several other songs,” Amy says. “They will perform the songs at Island House Assisted Living in November as their first field trip.“

The students also practice reading in small groups while Amy meets with individual students to discuss reading goals. After lunch they rest briefly with heads on desks. Science is next – they are currently learning about trees. Then comes an art project or Free Choice – free time for students to choose an activity: blocks, imaginative play, games, puzzles, legos, or art materials. “Free Choice is a great time for trying out social skills,” says Amy, “and gives me more opportunity to meet with kids individually.”

Best part of the job: Watching her students master new skills and seeing the joy it brings them. “It’s really fun to see how much they grow and learn. They start the year so young and they grow so much.”

Something people may not know: Amy is a quilter, a craft she learned from her mother. These days, she focuses on baby quilts for her two children – Tristan, age two, and Liam, four months. Liam was born with a heart defect and required open-heart surgery shortly after his birth. “The thought of surgery was scary,” Amy confides. “A baby’s heart is the size of a strawberry. But he is our miracle baby. He came home from the hospital after only two weeks. We’d expected it to take twice that long.” Baby Liam is now fully recovered and the family is content because husband and daddy, Tye, a former member of the Marine Corps, is home for good after deploying to Iraq three times. He now works a civilian job at a box plant in Seattle. “We are very glad to have him back,” Amy says.

Years in district: This is Amy’s fourth year with MISD.

Outside interests: Amy loves to read and go trailer camping. The family takes frequent weekend jaunts, often to the Hood Canal area and Deception Pass. They live in Renton.

2010-10-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

David Baxter –Grades 3-4 Highly Capable Program Teacher

Location: West Mercer Elementary

Job Decription / Philosophy: The Highly Capable program strives to provide an enriched learning environment focused on independently accelerated instruction, project-based and simulation learning, and multi-grade flexible grouping of 3-5th graders.

Typical day: “Unlike many teachers, I am not an early riser,” David chuckles. “I come in at 8:30 a.m., but often stay until anywhere from 6:30 or 8:30 p.m. The long days haven’t burned me out—you build up stamina.”

David’s school day is broken up into several blocks, starting with Math Workshop, during which he moves from student to student and incorporates mini lessons within the broader curricula. In Literature block, students are given a variety of choices using the CAFÉ (Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding vocabulary) model of instruction. CAFÉ focuses on independent or small group conferencing on skills such as reading, in which students select independent goals and make a plan on how they’ll achieve them.

David is an enthusiastic proponent of technology in the classroom. “The most powerful tool, I have found, in teaching students to be better writers is the document camera. It gives them an unprecedented opportunity to compare and be influenced by each other’s work.” He also engages students by giving them a chance to share their thinking and work with a broader audience using podcasting and iMovie to document and share writing and ideas on the Internet.

In the afternoon David teaches a fifth grade science and social studies class. When his third and fourth graders return from science and social studies instruction with other teachers, David has more activities including a venture he calls Curiosity Quest. “My students are at a very formative age, and I want them to explore topics they care about. I am always asking, ‘What do you think?’ when they come to me with questions, because I can’t solve things for them. I also model constructive criticism— which I’ve discovered kids are great at giving to me and to each other.” Aesthetic attention to their projects is another essential in David’s classroom. “I encourage students to experiment with technology tools such as iPhoto, Word tools, and Powerpoint, for clear, polished presentations. This helps them figure out what works in getting their points across, or how to adjust for a better outcome.”

Best part of the job: “Getting to work with young people who are still open to the wonders of the world,” David says. “Growing up I thought of myself as an optimist. Then I went to college and became a pessimist. Now I consider myself a realist. But there is a lot of good in the world, and I want to focus on that and share it with my students. I am also inspired by the incredible array of teachers in this district. I feel every person I work with gives 100%.”

Something people may not know: “One of my favorite things to do,” says David, “is sit in the woods and be silent. As a teacher it helps me to stop and listen to the world instead of speaking to it.” David grew up in Wisconsin and obtained his degree in theatre with minors in history and theology at Marquette University. He got his masters in teaching at City University. It was a “mad adventure” road trip with his brother 18 years ago that brought David to Washington State. “We stopped at Shi Shi beach on the Fourth of July,” David confides. “I watched the sun sink into the ocean and thought, ‘what an amazing place.’ I decided Washington was where I should be.”

Years in district: This is David’s fifth year at MISD. He taught in Federal Way for seven years prior.

Outside interests: Though he loves the urban activities that Seattle has to offer, David lives on 1.25 acres in Renton. His property is surrounded by farmland that can’t be developed, and contains a grove of forty wide-trunked cedar trees he intends to preserve. David put in a flower garden recently and plans to do a vegetable garden in the spring.

2010-10-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

Polly Giovanelli –Second Grade Teacher

Location: Lakeridge Elementary

Job Decription / Philosophy: Polly grew up on Mercer Island and attended district schools all the way through her senior year. Much of her approach to teaching stems from growing up in a great family and the excellent education she received here. Polly makes it her business to do everything possible to help each student reach his or her potential.

Typical day: “I love every day here!” Polly says. “There is never a dull moment. We have a lot of fun in my classroom. I walk around humming and dancing and the kids are so used to me that they don’t even look up anymore!”

“My favorite activities this year are the Daily 5,” Polly continues. “I was inspired by the enthusiasm of fellow teachers Cathy Dugovich and Barbara Tivnan.” The Daily 5 is a structured approach to promoting independent learning – students read to themselves or to someone else, do word work, and practice writing. “The children are doing a wonderful job of ‘building stamina’ as we work on reading silently for longer periods,” Polly explains. “This allows me to spend time with small groups or read with a student, one-on-one. I am so enthusiastic about this program. My students are getting totally turned-on to reading and becoming much more fluent readers!”

Best part of the job: “Definitely, it’s relating with children,” says Polly. “Focusing on them is extremely fulfilling. Things are happening all the time - somebody’s rabbit just died; someone else lost a tooth; another child is anticipating a visit from grandma.” Polly treasures the many relationships she has formed with students. “It‘s all so meaningful. For instance, I was just walking back from taking my students to music class, and the next thing I know, there’s a little hand in mine!”

Something people may not know: “Hmmm,” Polly ponders. “I’ve been at Lakeridge for so long and I’m such a talker – I can’t imagine that there’s anything people don’t know about me! I just got a new car, but everyone here knows that!” When Polly was a student at Lakeridge, “I got sent to the principal’s office for breaking a bathroom stall door because I was goofing around with a friend. I was so nervous that all I could do while I sat in the principal’s office was laugh.” Polly smiles at the memory. “I was lucky that Mrs. Nigren, the principal, understood that I always laughed when I was nervous!”

Years in district: Polly has taught at Lakeridge for a total of 23 years. “I don’t know where the time has gone!”

Outside interests: Before teaching on Mercer Island, Polly taught for seven years in California and Arizona. She and husband Bob currently live in Redmond. Polly has two grown sons, Jetton and Travis. They both live in California. Polly and Bob’s busy household also includes two dogs – Jack, a fun-loving Golden Retriever, and Maggie, a feisty Cairn terrier – and a beloved cat named Tux. Whenever possible, Polly and Bob bring their dogs along – even on vacations. Polly’s much-loved brother, Tom Giovanelli, lives on Mercer Island. She enjoys getting together with Tom and his family often. “Between family get-togethers, a busy household and teaching,” Polly exclaims, “I keep pretty busy!”

2010-10-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

Mindy Moore – Fourth Grade Hand-in-Hand Paraprofessional

Location: Island Park Elementary

Job Decription: As a hand-in-hand paraprofessional, Mindy supports the fourth-grade teachers and reinforces lessons and monitors the students to keep them on track. Each Hand-in-Hand paraprofessional takes a turn at planning an activity during recess. This is called Recess Camp. Mindy likes to do arts and crafts during her Recess Camp. Recent projects have included making barrettes, blowing paint freestyle through straws, and making apple babies. About 50-100 kids attend Recess Camp each week.

Typical day: Mindy’s workday starts at 8:00 a.m. with Eagles Nest Math Group where she assists those needing extra help. From 8:45-9:00 a.m. she supervises recess. Then she is back in the classroom helping small groups and dividing her time between the four classes, depending on what is needed, in writing, math, and reading. Mindy conducts Recess Camp during the final recess of the day.

Best part of the job: “The kids,” Mindy says. “There is never a boring moment in this job. One day we’ll be writing, the next day doing math. There is never an uninterrupted process – it is always changing. If I start a project that doesn’t go over well, I think, ‘let’s try something different.’ The kids give good feedback. This school is a good place to be. The kids and staff are always enthusiastic and happy to see each other.”

Something people may not know: “I like to drive my little mini Cooper convertible,” Mindy says. Mindy is also a chocolate aficionado, (“Sweet Decadence makes great chocolate, but I’m not a snob. I’ll take Hershey’s too!”), loves coffee and animals (she has 2 corgis and 2 cats).

Years in district: This is Mindy’s seventh year with MISD.

Outside interests: Mindy enjoys traveling. Last summer she went to the Mediterranean with husband, Eric. “I like travel because you read about different parts of the world in books, but it’s like ‘wow, how cool’ to see the places in real life.” In Greece, she fell in love with Greek donuts. “They are like baklava, but small—you can pop them in your mouth.” Mindy and Eric have two grown children, Brandon and Kyle.

2010-10-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

Kelly Tran – Second Grade teacher

Location: Lakeridge Elementary

Job Description: Kelly’s main objectives are, 1) instill a life-long love of learning in her students, 2) to teach in an engaging way that makes learning meaningful to her second graders, 3) to know who they are as individuals (strengths & weaknesses) in order to meet their needs.

Typical day: “People who don’t work in schools are always surprised to find out how early I get here (around 7:30 a.m.), because school doesn’t start until 9:00 a.m.!” Kelly exclaims. “I need those extra hours to plan the day.” She emails parents, updates the class website, modifies lesson plans according to students’ needs, grades papers, and sets up materials for the day. “A 20-minute lesson can often take much more than 20 minutes to prep!” Kelly laughs. After the students arrive there’s the morning check-in routine and a literacy block.

Then comes snack time. “Snack time is big for 2nd graders,” says Kelly. “I think they like being responsible for their own snacks at school.” ‘Read Aloud’ time is another favorite. It’s a chance for students to relax, listen, and have a casual book discussion. “I read a chapter a day, usually from a book that is slightly above their reading level,” Kelly explains. “My students are often capable of grasping complex details even if they aren’t directly reading the material themselves.” Afternoons are filled with math and a combination of science, social studies and/or art. During class discussions, students practice connecting what they are learning at school to what is meaningful in their lives. For example, “If we are studying coins, they can relate to it by talking about shopping with their parents and what it means to get change. This expands the discussion to include addition and subtraction concepts.”

Best part of the job: The challenge of figuring out what engages her students and makes the learning at school meaningful to their own lives. As a teacher, Kelly has discovered that “children have worlds of their own to share about at school. It’s fun working with so many little human beings that are constantly growing and exploring.”

Something people may not know: Kelly was an art major in college, specializing in welding and woodworking sculpture. “I turned in my welder’s gloves for pencils and papers! I wanted to focus on the craft of teaching.” Kelly hopes to one day realize her vision of integrating art more with other curriculum areas. “Art can be more than glue and crayons at the elementary level,” she explains. “I view art as something that is found in everything. I see natural opportunities to integrate art into reading, writing, science, social studies, and math. For instance, artists use symmetry, which enriches the subject of geometry. I am lucky to work at MISD. This district allows you to integrate art into general instruction, if you can find the time. The hardest thing,” she says wistfully, “is finding the time.”

Years in district: This is Kelly’s sixth year with MISD.

Outside interests: Recently married, Kelly is “trying to balance my life! Now, instead of staying late at work, my goal is to get home at a decent hour to be with my husband.” Dan, who is a glassblower, and Kelly enjoy developing the artistic side of their lives at home. Kelly also likes to cook, and is learning new recipes for the wild salmon that Dan catches in his free time. Kelly is also helping her parents transcribe their memoirs for their family’s history. Her parents emigrated from Vietnam one month before her birth.

2010-09-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

Michael Bylsma – MS Program Coordinator, Student Mentor Teacher, and 7th Gr. PNW History Teacher

Location: Islander Middle School

Job Description: As program coordinator, Michael is involved in student discipline, lunchroom supervision, planning field trips, and facilitating the WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) program which is focused on helping 6th graders become comfortable in middle school. “One of the things I do with WEB during summer break is to train 7th and 8th grade student leaders to work with 6th graders on the first day of school. To a 6th grader, the middle school seems so big. They wonder ‘how will I reach my locker? Where’s the PE building?’ It’s less scary with other kids helping them.”

As a Mentor teacher, he supervises structured study for kids who need extra help or attention. Michael, who taught 8th grade language arts/social studies prior to his current assignments, plans to someday become a school district administrator. “As a teacher, I really enjoyed communicating with parents, helping to bridge that divide between them and their kids, especially since 12-14 year olds don’t always go home and talk with their parents.”

Typical day: Michael arrives early and begins to navigate between his multiple positions. He doesn’t really know what most days will entail, so there really isn’t a typical day.

Best part of the job: “I get to be in the hallways,” says Michael. In middle school, the hallway seems to replace elementary school recess. Students have a 5-minute passing period every 55 minutes, to travel between classes. “It’s the middle school’s social time,” Michael explains. “I like learning names and being that recognizable face. I watch out for safety issues, both physical and emotional.” Michael is on hand to keep things moving, and be present for whatever need arises. “I enjoy helping,” he says simply.

Something people may not know: Michael’s mother went to middle school on Mercer Island. Michael grew up in Mountlake Terrace, and attended college at WSU, Notre Dame De Namur University, and San Jose State. He began his teaching career in San Jose. “The kids were great,” Michael notes, “but they had hardships like I have never seen. Coming to Mercer Island, with such great parent, administrative, and peer support, was like coming to a different world.”

Years in district: This is Michael’s third year with MISD.

Outside interests: Michael and his wife Adrienne, a teacher at Eastside Catholic, enjoy traveling. This summer they attempted a cross-country trip in a 1982 Vanagon, “our ramblin’wreck,” Michael laughs. “We made it to Chicago, turned around, broke down in St. Louis and again in Denver where we decided to tow it back.” Michael and Adrienne live in Ballard, and Michael plays golf “as often as I can.”

2010-09-28T15:31:00.000-07:00

AnnMarie Laird – Third Grade teacher

Location: West Mercer Elementary

Job Description: While a traditional elementary school teacher who teaches all the subjects except PE and music, AnnMarie strives to empower her students to feel safe and fearless as they learn. “I try to give my students confidence so they can get up in front of class and risk giving a wrong answer. They know they will be supported and praised for being willing to take the risk.”

Typical day: An early riser, AnnMarie opens her classroom door around 7 a.m. surveying the room for a visual sense of the day’s flow, she prepares accordingly. “But my day really starts when my little treasures stream in,” she says. During her teaching career, AnnMarie has developed a special greeting, which she gives to as many arriving students as possible. “It starts with a thumb squash, a handshake, and then I twirl the student under my arm like in a dance move,” she explains. It is a physical acknowledgement of the student and their successes. “Third graders appreciate my warped sense of humor. They know I like to tell ‘yokes’ (jokes) and they also know that I care about them and that we will work through challenges together.”

The morning usually consists of math, reading and Writers Workshop. In the afternoon there are specialists in different subjects, depending on the day (science, social studies, music and PE). ‘Dessert of the Week,’ according to AnnMarie, happens each Friday. This is a program that AnnMarie calls Community Contributors, which matches third graders to kindergartners as ‘buddies.’ On the first day of school, the Community Contributors’ debut task was to walk their buddies to the school busses at the end of the day. A few Fridays later, they will excitedly anticipate reading stories to their kindergartner buddies.

Best part of the job: “When the light goes on in their eyes,” says AnnMarie. “Third grade is an amazing grade. They still have a joy in learning and are thinking beyond themselves, thinking deeper thoughts.”
Something people may not know: AnnMarie was an investment banker before becoming a teacher. “I have found that teaching is actually harder than investment banking because, with teaching, you don’t leave the job at night. You are always thinking about it and planning.”

Years in district: This is AnnMarie’s third year. She taught K-12 in Enumclaw for 18 years prior to joining MISD.

Outside interests: AnnMarie’s son, Ryan, is a foreign aid auditor with USAID. AnnMarie recently indulged her love of travel with a visit to him in the Philippines, where he is stationed with his wife. “I love to travel to a new country, dig into its history and culture, and learn about its people,” she explains. Daughter Katie is a student at the University of Oregon. AnnMarie also enjoys photography and reading.

2010-06-15T10:56:00.001-07:00

Robb Wick – Art Teacher

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job description: Robb teaches beginning and advanced ceramics, drawing and painting, and AP studio art.

Typical day: Robb “hits the floor running” at 7:30 a.m. He unloads the ceramics projects that were fired overnight in the kilns. He preps the lab: checks that the appropriate supplies are in place, that all equipment is ready, and that there is separation between ceramics and drawing/painting supplies and tools. “I teach two incongruent subjects in the same room,” Robb explains. “Painting and ceramics don’t get along!” At 9:00 a.m. when his first class starts, the ‘controlled chaos’ begins. “There are about 30 students in each of my classes. There are so many technical questions that I need to answer, I have to assign them numbers—‘Now serving number…’—like in a NAPA auto parts store!” Shifting gears between concurrent ceramics, drawing & painting and AP studio art classes, Robb says, “You will never find me standing around. Just once in a while, I’d like to have a boring day. My kids are ambitious, innovative, tenacious, and they challenge me professionally.”

Best part of the job: “The ‘young grasshoppers.’ That’s what I call my beginning students,” says Robb. “As the year progresses, it’s a pleasure to watch their confidence and ability grow. Attending their graduation is my motivation to start the next year. The students, they’re like your own children. You nurture and teach them. They take a little piece of your heart, so it’s hard to say goodbye.” Robb has taught in four school districts throughout his career, the first in Montana, and the next two in Alaska. “MISD is the best,” he says. “East Anchorage High School was a very tough school, with gangs, guns and fights. We don’t have any of those problems here. Our students are cordial, caring, respectful, and really want to learn. I can now do activities with these kids that I could only dream of doing at my other schools. They make me look good. I have also received generous support from the Mercer Island Schools Foundation in developing a great ceramics lab. The support and leadership from the administration has been great, and our parents are incredible.”

Years in district: Ten years.

Something people may not know: Robb is a Vietnam veteran. He was Radarman aboard the Navy’s USS Hornet when it recovered astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins from Apollo 11’s command module. Robb participated during the Apollo 12 recovery, as well. Growing up in Montana, Robb loved the outdoors. He moved to Alaska as an adult where he became active in ski patrol at Mt. Alyeska, and was a whitewater rafting guide. He taught art for 20 years in Anchorage, Alaska public schools.

Outside interests: Robb enjoys golfing, fishing, and his home ceramics studio. He is a homebrewer developing a small home brew system where he specializes in ales, pilsners, stouts, and bitters. He and his wife, Susanne, a principal in the Kent school district, live in Fairwood with their two dogs, Snickers and Tucker. Between them they have three grown children.

2010-06-15T10:52:00.001-07:00

Cathy Dugovich – First Grade Teacher, First Grade Assessment Lead

Location: Lakeridge Elementary School

Job description: Cathy teaches reading, writing, math, social studies, science, and art. As Assessment Lead, Cathy facilitates a professional learning community for the district’s first grade teachers. They learn about Standards-Based reporting, select assessments, and set benchmarks for students according to state standards.

Typical day: Cathy arrives at 7:30 a.m. to organize daily materials and lesson flipcharts for the ActiveBoard, which is a large interactive presentation panel connected to a computer desktop. “The ActiveBoard helps lessons flow by keeping the kids engaged,” says Cathy. Student leads direct routines such as the morning calendar activity using the ActiveBoard. “Leads aren’t always higher-level students,” says Cathy. “A lead can be someone who might not be very confident, but wants to use the ActiveBoard.” After the morning activities on Tuesdays, the students go to PE, allowing Cathy to plot the rest of the school day. After PE there is Writer’s Workshop. Here again, technology inspires learning enthusiasm. “My students love to share their writing by using the document camera,” says Cathy. “It’s neat because the kids can see peer examples of spelling and word choices, which helps them monitor their own writing.” After recess, they have reading time. Lunch is next, followed by story time and math, then another recess followed by science. The class has just wrapped up a unit on the lifecycle of the butterfly. “It’s a favorite because they get to watch the stages of development from larvae to release,” says Cathy. The release took place in Lakeridge’s butterfly garden last week.

Best part of the job: “I love this age group,” says Cathy. “They are very enthusiastic and loving. I’m a hugger, so in class we end our day with either a goodbye hug or a handshake.” Cathy is amazed by the educational growth in first grade. “The best thing is seeing where they are at the end of the year compared to the beginning. At the end of the year I feel like, ‘We did it!’ I cherish where they are in first grade.”

Something people may not know: After graduating from Hazen High School in Renton, Cathy followed her family’s tradition and went to Boeing. She was a hydraulic tube swedger for several years while going to college at BCC and the UW. Though employed by Boeing, Cathy wanted to become a first grade teacher because, “I loved my own first grade teacher,” she remembers. “I was one of those really shy kids. I wanted to grow up and be as nurturing to other kids as my first grade teacher had been to me.”

Years in district: 21 years. Cathy previously taught for two years in the Bethel School District, and one year in Corona, California.

Outside interests: Cathy and husband Bill—they met as 16 year-olds while interviewing for jobs at the now defunct Renton Cinemas—like to travel. Their most recent trip was to Tahiti. They have two college-age children, Ashley and Nick. Cathy enjoys bike riding, flower gardening, and entertaining family at her Kent home.

2010-06-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

Michelle Hayes – High School Math Teacher

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job description: Michelle teaches Algebra 1 and 2

Typical day: Michelle lives on five acres near Mt. Teneriffe, about seven miles outside downtown North Bend. She also has two young children—so her day starts early! Her first two classes at the high school are prep and office periods. “It’s nice to have that quiet time to organize and get ready for class,” says Michelle. She teaches Algebra 2 starting at third period, and Algebra 1 in the afternoon.

Best part of the job: “I love math,” says Michelle. “I enjoy helping kids make sense of it – to own the knowledge themselves. It’s not always easy for them to see how math matters in real life. Some of it is learning to think and problem-solve. Some of it is making connections among concepts and how they might apply to a possible career path.”

Years in district: Ten years. Michelle worked for Sylvan Learning Center previously. Before that, she was a dealership auditor for Yale Forklift in New Jersey.

Something people may not know: Growing up in a food-loving Italian family in New Jersey, Michelle developed a passion for cooking. “My mom and grandma were the kind of cooks who never bothered to write things down,” she says. “You just had to sit by their sides and learn.” Her sister is an executive chef, and Michelle would like to open a restaurant someday. Michelle was also a competitive horseback rider for fifteen years, starting at age five.

Outside interests: When she’s not cooking, Michelle enjoys hiking, fishing, and family fun time. Michelle and her husband, Jason, an arborist, have two children – Matthew, age five, and Jacob, age two.

2010-06-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

Kere Loughlin – Third grade teacher

Location: Island Park Elementary

Job description: “I see my job as helping my students communicate their ideas, get in touch with their passions, and integrate those passions into the classroom,” says Kere. “I encourage them to develop their own opinions about what they are learning. I say, “Don’t just believe what I tell you! Have an opinion and back it up!” When they express themselves in a way that makes sense to them, they come alive. It’s really exciting! They’re eight and nine years old! Awesome.”

Typical day: Kere puts her students in charge of the morning routine. At 9:15 a.m., a student leader will direct the class in a salute to the flag. Afterwards, another leader will direct the daily language practice. “Up until 10 a.m. my students run the show,” says Kere. “They do a great job, and it allows me to meet quietly with individual students to go over problems they might be having in their work.” Afterwards, there is reading and math. In the afternoon they have science, social studies and art. “My kids work hard!” Kere exclaims. “Their day is packed! We have so much to do that sometimes it’s a challenge to integrate art into the day. But we manage it.” Evidence is in the hallway outside their classroom, where Kere’s students are creating a mural based on their study of Puget Sound sea life – merging science and art. After dismissal in the afternoon, the second part of Kere’s day begins. She tackles emails, grading, and reviewing student work.

Best part of the job: “I love to hear the kids’ stories,” says Kere. “Once you have gained a child’s trust, they are so willing and earnest about sharing their lives with you. These kids are smart and perceptive. They have such interesting ideas about the world, sometimes with perspectives that have never occurred to me. I think, ‘Wow! I want to take that with me.’”

Something people may not know: Kere earned an undergraduate degree in theatre and vocal performance from the UW. “I had this whole other life in theatre,” she says. “It was great training for teaching.” This will be Kere’s final year at MISD. She will head to WWU in the fall, to study for her (second) master’s degree, in mental health counseling. Her first masters and teaching certificate were obtained at SPU, several years after she began working at West Mercer and Island Park as a paraprofessional. “Kathy Morrison was the principal of Island Park then. She became a phenomenal mentor for me. I would not have become a teacher if it hadn’t been for her.” It will be difficult for Kere to leave this job she calls “magical.” But it is an opportunity to try new work she wants to explore –counseling children and families in a therapeutic setting. “I am dealing with very mixed feelings about leaving,” Kere admits. “I’ve talked to my students about it. One of them said, ‘Well, Ms. Loughlin. You just have to follow your heart.’”

Years in district: Seven years in the district, three as a teacher.

Outside interests: “I love all beaches,” Kere says. “I love to read, walk and spend time with my amazing family.”

2010-06-04T13:35:00.001-07:00

John Sutherin – IMS Technology Specialist

Location: Islander Middle School

Job Description: “If it has electricity, I deal with it,” says John. The school’s computers, printers, and AV equipment all fall under his care. John also manages the sound system in the Multipurpose room, and helps staff with digital presentations and networking issues. “Basically, I’ll make it work,” says John. “We’re a school district. That’s what we do.”

Typical day: “There is no typical day. Ever,” says John. “I never know what kind of fire I’ll have to put out.” John works with student T.A.’s every period in the Business Center. He trains them to install operating systems on MacBooks. He verifies that every laptop in the building works correctly. He monitors all computer labs to ensure that students are following the computer rules of use. He spends a lot of time resolving connectivity issues with document cameras and LCD projectors.

Best part of the job: “I like working with kids,” says John. “They all know who I am, and they ask me questions about their computers. I had a computer business when I lived in California, and I volunteered to hire an autistic high school student. That’s how I found out I liked working with kids.”

Something people may not know: John was a deputy sheriff in San Diego County for 12.5 years. During his police career he worked in four different maximum-security jails, where he trained incoming deputies. “After working in the jails, you can’t faze me. I’ve seen it all,” says John. He became a nationally certified Drug Recognition Expert, making him qualified to testify in any courtroom in the country. John got involved with technology while working in the jails – he managed the fingerprint computers, and did re-wiring for the computer terminals. Being a policeman, John says, was the fulfillment of a childhood dream. “It was a Starsky and Hutch kind of thing,” he explains. “I loved it.” The dream came to an end, however, when a foot injury forced him into a medical retirement.

Outside interests: John and his wife Susan, who is a counselor at MIHS, live in Bellevue with their two dogs, Nalu (Big Wave) and Murph. John enjoys remote control cars and trucks (the dogs do not). He also builds model trains and likes to ride his motorcycle, a 1998 BMW K1200RS. “I am one of those people who can do a hundred things at once,” says John. “Sometimes it’s hard to do just one thing!”

2010-06-04T13:26:00.001-07:00

Keith Ellis – Director of Maintenance and Operations

Location: Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Building

Job description: Keith is in charge of making sure that all district buildings are running properly.

Typical day: Beginning at 6:30 a.m., Keith drives to each school to check on operations – to confer with custodians and see that the buildings are safe and ready for kids. “To make sure,” as Keith says, “that everything is up to snuff.” After his inspections, Keith returns to the office. When the school day begins he checks in with principals to ensure that their needs are being met. Dean Mack, Keith’s immediate supervisor, also receives a daily briefing. “We do a lot of preventative maintenance,” says Keith. “We try to take care of problems before they become big ones.” Keith is involved in the drive to make MISD a full-fledged ‘King County Green School District’ by the end of this year. “Island Park, Lakeridge and IMS are level-one Green Schools,” says Keith. “West Mercer and MIHS are in the process. The schools are escalating their efforts in composting and recycling with the help of a ‘green committee’ of parents, staff and citizens.” At the end of his workday, if there is time, Keith visits each school again to touch base with the evening custodial crews.

Best part of the job: “It’s great being around the kids,” says Keith. “The little guys, especially, appreciate what our maintenance and custodial crews do. For instance, we put up new tetherball equipment at Island Park. The kids made a poster thanking us for that. It really makes your heart feel good when they notice what you are doing for them.”

Something people may not know: Keith started his public school career in 1974 as a night custodian in Palmer, Alaska. Over 20 years there, he progressed to day custodian, lead high school custodian, custodial foreman, and finally, maintenance and operations foreman. After two of their daughters moved to Seattle, Keith and his wife, Raye Jean, came for a visit. They had a decision to make – should they relocate to Seattle or Arizona? “We spent August in Arizona and that settled that,” explains Keith. “Too hot!” Shortly after settling in Seattle, Keith was hired by MISD as operations supervisor; he was later promoted to director of maintenance and operations.

Years in district: 15 years. Keith will be retiring from the district in November, 2010.

Outside interests: Keith and Raye Jean have four children and nine grandchildren, residing here and in Reno, Nevada. “That’s what we’ll do in retirement,” says Keith. “Babysit the grandkids.” Though they plan to divide their time between Seattle and Reno, Keith and Raye Jean will also continue their annual sojourn to Arizona for the Mariners spring training.

2010-05-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

Liz Kuhn – Paraprofessional, Special Education

Location: Lakeridge Elementary School

Job Description: Liz works primarily with kindergarten-age children who have been identified as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She supports them throughout their day in the general education, special education and specialist classrooms.

Typical day: At 8:20 a.m. Liz sets-up for the day by ensuring that all support materials are available. At 9 a.m. she greets her special education students in the general education kindergarten class. Liz assists her students through their day, including adaptive music and PE classes, and recess. Liz helps them work towards meeting their goals and objectives, socialize and play games, engage in appropriate conversation, and follow directions from the teacher. Some of this is done by written directions and modifying some work. One of the tools Liz uses is a picture exchange communication system, which gives a visual step-by-step direction for special education kindergartners (see photo at left). Her students also have ‘peer buddies’ from the general education class who help by including these friends at recess in play and in the classroom in games and small group activities. Liz tracks and records progress data for each child she works with. A copy is sent home daily to parents. “I like seeing the progress they make from the beginning of the year to the end,” Liz says. “Watching them grow and become more independent step-by-step is wonderful. They are so excited when they arrive at school! It’s fun to hear what they have been doing after school, such as swim lessons, etc.” She also aids the general education students in the classroom when her special education students are independently engaged in an activity.

Best part of the day: “What makes my day,” says Liz, “is when my kids arrive in the morning smiling and excited. I also enjoy how happy the parents are to see their child’s progress.”

Something people may not know: Liz hails from Omak, Washington. In her younger days she spent her weekends riding dirt bikes, downhill skiing and horse back riding. But after crashing and blowing out her knee, she traded in her dirt bike for a mountain bike. “No more skiing after that, either!” she laughs. Liz was also a hairstylist on Mercer Island throughout most of her 20’s.

Years in district: This is Liz’s seventh year with MISD. As a volunteer in her eldest son’s preschool class, Liz says, “I discovered I enjoyed working with young children and helping them do their best.” After volunteering as a reading helper (Book Bridges), volunteering in the office and in her son’s classes at West Mercer a few years later, she received a call from then-principal Jean Anthony. Would Liz be willing to interview for a special education paraprofessional opening at West Mercer’s inclusive preschool program, working with autistic students as well as typically-developing students? “I told her I had no experience with special education but she said that wouldn’t be a problem. They put me through many ASD training programs. I was very lucky to have some of the best professors at the UW’s Experimental Education Unit, as well as other training in subsequent years.”

Outside interests: Liz has been married to husband Tony for almost 20 years. They have two sons – David, 18 and Jonathan 14, a dog named Coley and two cats named Buster and Boots. Both boys attend Mercer Island schools. The family lives in Bellevue and enjoys trips to the Washington and Oregon coasts and eastern Washington. They have family in Ellensburg and Omak. Liz likes to read, garden, bake, cook for family and friend gatherings and refinish furniture – among other home improvement projects. “Watching the boys in their various sport activities and just having a relaxing weekend is fun!” says Liz.

2010-05-12T09:16:00.001-07:00

Tiffany Nelson – Third Grade Teacher

Location: Island Park Elementary

Job Description: Tiffany sees her job as inspiring in her students a love of learning in all its many facets. “There is the academic part,” she explains, “but beyond that there’s the whole ‘child aspect’ – encouraging curiosity about the world around them. Helping them find their role in the environment. Building healthy connections with each other – establishing friendships, and being good, kind people.”

Typical day: “I thrive on routine,” Tiffany says. Her students do too. They can count on a greeting from their teacher as they arrive at 9 a.m. On the white board they will find their first task. Says Tiffany, “I get an idea how my tone for the day will be by connecting with each child in the morning. I try to assess how they’re doing – what’s happening with each one personally.” The morning progresses with a reading session, recess, and math. After lunch the afternoon schedule is flexible. Some days they work on writing, social studies, or science. On Wednesday the children have a rotation cycle, which might mean PE, music, or computer lab where they are currently learning to keyboard.

Best part of the job: “I love the feeling that I am affecting the future by inspiring these kids,” says Tiffany. “I want to help them discover their passions and to work hard so their dreams and goals can be accomplished.” Tiffany commends the Island Park community and the district for job satisfaction, as well. “I work with an amazing third-grade team,” she says. “We also have a great support staff and parents. I know that I can go to anybody for anything, even teachers from the other schools, and they will be willing to share. You don’t find that everywhere. The support here makes it so nice to come to work.”

Something people may not know: Tiffany has a BS in Accountancy, and before becoming a teacher worked as an accountant for ten years. Tiffany’s mother was a schoolteacher and as her retirement drew near, Tiffany spent some time in her classroom and found she liked it. “That was when I realized I wanted to be my mom when I grew up!” Tiffany laughs. “So I went home and told my husband I was giving up accounting and going back to school.”

Years worked in district: This is Tiffany’s sixth year.

Outside interests: Tiffany has been “married forever!” to Ron, her high school sweetheart. Their relationship began at Clayton Valley High School in Concord, California. Relocated to Mercer Island, their family includes two daughters and a golden retriever. Making time for family is a priority for Tiffany. “It sounds a little cheesy,” she confides, “but we have family dinners every night. We like to play games and be silly together, and hang out with friends.” Tiffany also enjoys reading and considers herself an ‘amateur’ knitter. “I can knit scarves – that’s it!”

2010-05-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

Patrick Rigby – Teacher 9-12

Location: Crest Learning Center

Job Description: Patrick teaches English and social studies block primarily for 9-10th grade as well as Washington State history and Film Studies.

Typical day: Patrick begins his day with prep periods devoted to faculty consultations or with students studying independently. Independent students at Crest are students who, for whatever reason, can’t make a certain high school class fit in their daily schedules. This method of study is very personalized – a student might email Patrick for lessons and assistance, and meet once a week or more if necessary. Patrick finds the individuality of independent study creatively fulfilling. It allows him to let the student explore different perspectives of a lesson, to focus on an aspect that might have more relevance in the student’s life. From third period on, Patrick teaches two English and social studies blocks, and either Washington State history or Film Studies.

Best part of the job: “Hanging out with the kids,” says Patrick. “We eat lunch and take our breaks with them. This school makes it possible to get to know our students on a personal level. We get to talk to them about life rather than, say, literature!” Growing up on the island and graduating from MIHS through Running Start in 2000, Patrick can relate to where his students are coming from. After earning his undergraduate degree in history and anthropology at the UW, he took two years off to “experience the universe” – surfing, snowboarding and river rafting. “I knew I wanted to work at Crest,” Patrick says. “I like its small size and the personal, guiding philosophies of the school.”

Something people may not know: Patrick is a “religious snowboarder.” From November through May he commutes to Mount Baker near Bellingham every weekend, where he owns a condo and has taught snowboarding since age 16. Patrick’s mother, Karrey, has worked for the district since 1989. She is currently a Special Education paraprofessional at the high school.

Years in the district: This is Patrick’s first year as a Crest teacher. He substitute taught in art and leadership classes at IMS last year.

Outside interests: Patrick plays guitar and banjo (folk, Americana, and blues). In addition to snowboarding, Patrick likes to surf and ski. He is planning a remodel of his Mount Baker condo this summer.

2010-04-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

Heidi Harmening – Kindergarten teacher

Location: Lakeridge Elementary

Job Description: Heidi’s philosophy about teaching kindergarten is to “love the kids and instill in them a love for learning. In addition to academics, I help them with the social side and to discover their independent natures. I try to give them tools to be successful in life.”

Typical day: Heidi greets her kindergartners at the classroom door first thing in the morning. “They are bursting at the seams to tell me whatever has transpired in their lives during the previous 12 hours!” she says, smiling. After writing in their journals, they practice reading, have independent work time, recess and snack. Fortified, they learn writing, followed by music, PE or library. After lunch and recess they have math, science, social skills/social studies, and free choice time where they self-select an activity such as art, reading, or imaginary play. It is during imaginary play that life skills such as problem-solving and negotiating are developed. “These are skills,” Heidi laughs, “that you can never learn too early.” Every child in Heidi’s classroom spends a week as the Star Student. The designated Star Student gets to bring show and tell items and create a poster about himself/herself to share with the class. This weekly honor, which is divided equitably so that all students get their chance to be ‘on stage,’ provides two very important lessons—students get to feel special and to be comfortable with attention. “Even the shyest kids just beam in the spotlight,” Heidi says, “and it teaches those in the audience to let others shine.”

Best part of the job: “Building relationships with the kids and their families,” says Heidi. She also appreciates her colleagues. “It is great to be surrounded by fun, thoughtful, brilliant people,” she continues. “It makes me want to be a better teacher.”

Something people may not know: Heidi didn’t set out to be a kindergarten teacher. Growing up in Blaine, WA, with a father who was a secondary choir teacher, Heidi had ideas about broadcast journalism. But after working at a summer camp during college break, she knew she had to change her major. “Teaching,” she says, “chose me.” Also during her Pullman college years (“Go Cougs!”) she lived in Australia for a time and traveled to Costa Rica. Her goal was to find a teaching job where she could spend at least six months of the year traveling. The necessity to make ends meet while trying to determine the best international opportunities led her to MISD. “This job changed the course of my life,” Heidi says. “It pulls you in, in a good way.” She smiles – “I’ll just have to use my summers to travel.”

Years in district: 4 years.

Outside interests: Heidi is an athlete who is training for her second half-marathon. She lives in Leschi, which, she says, is a “great area for running.” Heidi enjoys boating and wakeboarding in the summer, snowboarding in the winter.

2010-04-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

Julie Hovind – K-5 Teacher on Special Assignment for Technology Integration

Location: West Mercer, Lakeridge, Island Park

Job description: Julie’s relatively new position as a K-5 ‘TOSA’ is, as she says, “evolving on the fly as I go!” Her primary responsibility is to support teachers and their technology-integration needs. Julie works alongside K-5 teachers to implement integrated technology projects: modeling technology-rich lessons, co-teaching to facilitate complicated projects successfully, pulling students to complete projects while the teacher continues with the whole group, and even just being on-hand when teachers are trying technology tools they are not quite confident with yet. As she says, “It’s really helpful having another teacher by your side when attempting a brand new technology project.” In addition, she performs the necessary legwork to implement technology integration effectively. This includes managing online training opportunities as well as leading after-school teacher workshops, researching tech tips and teacher learning websites, crafting the components (resources, templates, rubrics, etc.), and exploring software for the computer lab. Julie writes 2020 grants with teachers and brainstorms with staff about technology needs and next steps. She also spends time just trying to stay current in the fast-paced world of technology advancement.

Typical day: “Every day takes on its own shape based on what teachers ask of me that day,” Julie explains. She may be found in the computer lab leading or supporting as requested, in a classroom demonstrating, in the hall working with individuals or small groups, or racing down the hall – even the island – to respond to a teacher’s last minute/unforeseen request for help. “Part of my job is about being in the right place at the right time,” says Julie. “I’ll be walking down the hall and someone will see me and remember they need my help with something, and off I’ll go! I try to be whatever a teacher needs me to be, when they need me. It can be dizzying—but a lot of fun.” As a former fifth-grade teacher at West Mercer, Julie says, “I especially love working with teachers in the classrooms.”

Best part of the job: Though Julie misses classroom teaching, being a TOSA gives her a sense of the district as a whole, and she likes what she sees. “I am amazed at the level of teaching that goes on here. I get a real sense of K-5 and the personalities of the elementary schools. To play a small part in helping wonderful teachers grow in the direction they want is very energizing. If I could have my cake and eat it too I’d be doing both jobs – classroom teacher and TOSA. But it’s great to be of service to people who are teaching kids.”

Something people may not know: Julie is an erstwhile thrill seeker. However, “having kids puts a new perspective on the possibility of bodily risk!” In her earlier days, Julie once jumped out of an airplane. Scuba diving is still a favorite hobby. She has dived in Washington, California, Florida, the Caribbean, and Australia.

Years worked in district: 10 years.

Outside interests: Julie and her husband, Matt, are parents to daughters Katie, age 5, and Bridget, age 2. The family’s black labs, littermates Pepper and Pongo, are approaching their tenth birthday. Julie’s favorite activities are playing with her kids and dogs, reading, gardening, and do-it-yourself home improvement projects at their Bellevue home.

2010-04-23T10:33:00.001-07:00

Jan LaFountaine – Executive Assistant to the Superintendent

Location: Administration Building

Job description: Jan provides administrative and secretarial support to the superintendent and the board of directors. Her keys to success are communication skills and flexibility. “We all have our strengths,” says Jan. “One of mine is working with people. Someone else might have better technology skills than I do, but I’m confident that I can assist everyone, even if they are having a bad day!”

Typical day: Jan arrives at 7:30 a.m. unless she has an early meeting. She then goes through the phone and email messages that have accrued overnight. After that, she tackles the multitude of tasks and goals she has written on post-it notes and places them all over her desk. Some of her regular duties include keeping the superintendent’s calendar, board communications – board agendas, minutes, and board-packet preparation, and posting information to the website. Jan plans executive sessions and prepares talking points and minutes for superintendent committee meetings, as well as for the superintendent’s weekly meetings with his cabinet and with the board president and vice president. Jan is the “go to” person for the district’s administrative and board policies, which have just gone through a major overhaul and continue to be an on-going project. She interacts with district legal counsel and fields all calls and visitors to the superintendent’s office.

Best part of the job: The people. Jan truly enjoys people and loves the MISD staff. “Our teachers and support people are so passionate,” she says. “It is a pleasure to see the enthusiasm they have for their work. Teamwork is a priority in the district and makes things so much easier.” She is also impressed with Mercer Island parents. “I have never seen parents as supportive of their children’s education as they are on Mercer Island.”

Something people may not know: In her early 20’s, Jan was an assistant stockbroker and the youngest assistant vice president of the trust department of a large banking institution. After marrying and moving to Anaheim, California, she worked at Disneyland as the executive assistant to the Executive Director of Marketing. As part of her executive training, she spent one day dressed as a Disneyland character – in her case, as Doc, one of Snow White’s seven dwarfs. “You’d be amazed at how many little kids tried to stomp on my feet!” she laughs. “Also, those costumes are so hot inside!”

Years worked in the district: One year. Prior to coming to Mercer Island, Jan worked for 25 years in the Renton School District, where she was Executive Assistant to the Superintendent for the last eight years.

Outside interests: Jan and her husband, Mark, have been married for 35 years. They met on a blind date. They have two children, Jennifer, age 34, and Chad, age 31. Jan and Mark like to motor around the San Juan and Gulf Islands on their 34’ Camano Trawler. They also love to travel, camp, hike, and bike.

2010-04-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

Karin Hummel – 6^th Grade teacher

Location: Islander Middle School

Job Description: Karin teaches 6^th grade math and science, as well as 8^th grade math.

Typical day: “Chaos!” Karin laughs. As a mother of four children attending MISD schools, her day begins long before she arrives at work. Once in the classroom, she teaches two periods of math, preps, then teaches two science classes and an 8^th grade math class.

Best part of the job: “I really enjoy 6^th graders,” Karin says. “I have been teaching them for 26 years! I like their excitement for the middle school experience. Every year I tell my husband, ‘I have the best class ever!’ and he always reminds me that I say that every year. It’s true – each year is different, but wonderful. Here at IMS, I am fortunate to work with a fabulous staff, including the student teacher and paraprofessionals who work in my room.”

In Karin’s math classes, “I love it when a parent tells me their child never liked math, and now he/she does.” In science, she enjoys watching her students do hands-on projects. ‘Punkin Chunkin’ is a popular 6^th grade science tradition that Karin started years ago to teach about motion. The students build catapults, sling shots, or trebuchets and measure the distance and speed they propel a small pumpkin. “Hands-on science projects give students a chance to shine where they might not in bookwork,” Karin explains. Robo Lab (formerly known as Lego Logo) gives students an opportunity to build Lego projects and write computer programs to make them move. Students always look forward to it and often remember it for years afterwards.

Something people may not know: Karin is an avid hiker and has reached the 10,000-foot Camp Muir level of Mt. Rainier five times. “The summer before each of my children enters 6^th grade, I take them on this hike – like of a rite of passage,” Karin explains. “One of my daughters still says it was the worst day of her life!” With every climb, Karin relies on the companionship and guidance of her friend, 85 year-old local mountaineer Bronka Sundstrom – the oldest woman ever to climb Rainier.

Years worked in the district: 11 years.

Outside interests: Karin tutors kids in math and other subjects. “I just love kids!” she exclaims. “I had four of my own, which is a little extreme in itself! I guess I just never get enough of them.” Karin and her family – husband Mark, a 1977 graduate of MIHS, and children, Kristin, Courtney, Katie and Jacob, live in Issaquah.

2010-04-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

Rob Darling – First Grade Teacher

Location: West Mercer Elementary

Job Description: Rob teaches reading, math, science, and social studies, shoe tying, hygiene, and manners.

Typical Day: Rob greets his students at the door as they arrive in the morning. “First graders thrive on routine,” he explains. That is why every morning Rob’s students can expect to find a piece of paper on their desks as their first task. Rob has found that this helps settle them down and focus. After completing the exercise, they write in their journals, do the Daily 5, have recess, study math, and then go to lunch. In the afternoon they might have science, social studies, PE, music and library specialists. Rob talks fast – “I try to keep up with first grade attention spans. I have a good five or six minutes before they’re on to something else,” he smiles.

Best part of the job: “Knowing I am making a difference.” Rob says. “Every day one or two of them has an ‘Ah Ha’ moment where I know something finally clicked. I can see their confidence grow which just inspires more learning.” He and his students recently wrote to President Obama. “In my letter, I said, ‘you want kids in this country to get the best education but you’re cutting education funds. If education is not a priority the best teachers won’t be able to afford to do it, students won’t receive the best education possible, and everything will consequently suffer.’ My first graders believe they really can make a difference. They were thrilled when we got a letter back from President Obama.” Rob reflects, “I did some different things before I became a teacher. I was a sports director, a college coach, and a pavement maintenance contractor. Nothing compares to teaching. This is the most gratifying thing I’ve ever done.”

Something people may not know: Rob is a concert pianist and went to Ricks Jr. College on a music scholarship. Ten years later, he finished his AA at Peninsula College, his BA in Elementary Ed. at City University of Seattle, and his Masters in Education, Curriculum and Instruction through the University of Scranton. Rob still teaches piano lessons.

Years in district: 3^rd year teaching, 2^nd year in the district.

Outside interests: Rob and his wife of two years, Erin, have a blended family of four children – Tyler-Ann, 10, Dalton, 10, Braeden, 12, and Kollin, 13 – two 4^th graders, two sixth graders. Rob enjoys coaching his very active children in assorted sports, playing baseball/softball, and doing woodwork in the new house the family built in Maple Valley. Rob is also a marathon runner. “When I started running marathons in 2005 I lost 50 pounds. The only reasons I ever ran before were for booting a groundball or dropping a pass. The first marathon was brutal! But I got hooked. The finish line is worth every cramp, spasm, chaffing, and early morning. I’ve run five since and plan on doing at least one a year until I die.”

2010-04-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

Christina Jimenez – Resource Room Teacher

Location: Island Park Elementary

Job description: Christina teaches reading, writing and math to students who have been identified as having learning disabilities and/or need support in the Resource Room.

Typical day: Christina’s day begins at 8:15 a.m. with either a meeting or a small group of students. About two-thirds of her day is spent with students, the other third is spent in meetings and collaborating with the Learning Support Team of paraprofessionals, teachers, and parents to help students meet their IEP goals. In between teaching and collaboration, there is documentation. “Here at MISD there is a level of accountability which is great,” Christina says, “but it means a lot of paperwork!”

Best part of the job: Christina enjoys getting to know her students’ interests and learning styles. “It’s satisfying to figure out how to use a child’s strengths to support his or her learning struggles,” she says.

Something people may not know: Christina grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. She became a caseworker for New York City foster children and in helping to place them in schools, discovered that she loved the energy of the classroom. Christina got her masters degree at Teachers College, Columbia University and has taught for 9 years.

Years worked at district: 1 year.

Outside interests: Christina is a gourmet cook. She loves to camp and to chef creatively over an open fire. “You can cook anything in foil!” she says. As a lifetime New Yorker, she had no need for a driver’s license. It wasn’t until deciding to move to Seattle that she got her license and cut her teeth behind the wheel driving cross-country along old Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway. Though she now enjoys driving, “I still don’t like to park—I often base where I’m going on how easy it will be to park there!” She also enjoys running.

2010-03-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

Karen Campbell – Drama Director and Theatre Manager for MIHS Performing Arts Center (PAC)

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job Description: As drama director for the high school, Karen teaches students the craft of stage performance and directs all school plays. She also teaches the MIHS Actors’ Studio, Improv, and Drama 2 (Dreamstate Productions). As theatre manager, she oversees a staff that includes the theatre technician, house managers and tech assistants. She is in charge of all aspects of putting on a play, including props, designing and creating costumes, and set design and production.

Typical day: “Just as I never direct the same play twice,” Karen says, “each day here is a little different from the last.” Karen directs three main stage plays per year and works on numerous smaller performance projects. Because stage performance is about collaboration, she starts each class by having everyone stand in a circle. “Look around,” she tells students. “These are your partners. It’s not about being solo. It’s about sharing an experience.” Karen invites guest artists from the community to work with her students. This year's guest artists have included: Terence Kelley–noted choreographer, David Duvall– frequent music director for MIHS musicals, and Steffon Moody–mask and movement specialist.

Best part of the job: Karen loves to see how creativity unfolds in her students. “In my improv class, some of the kids— you wonder if they have a scriptwriter in their heads! Some are very shy, so for their parents, it’s gratifying to see this other side of their child.”

Something people may not know: As a young woman in Tennessee, Karen’s mother was known as the singing ‘Belle of Memphis.’ “When I was seven years old we went back there on a family trip. I ended up singing on a local children's TV show as “The Daughter of the Belle of Memphis!” Karen laughs. “Of course, I thought I’d be the next Mary Martin.” After young adult stints as musical performer and director of local productions, training as a classical singer and singing opera, Karen obtained her teaching certificate and a BA in theatre from the University of Portland. She later earned her MFA in Drama from the UW (with split focus between Child Drama and Directing), but had by then decided that her greatest joy came in teaching high school students to perform. “My students give from deep within their souls. Backstage, they are regular kids. On stage, they are transformed.”
Years in district: 12 years.

Outside interests: An award-winning quilter, Karen also enjoys knitting, swimming, seeing plays, reading, and writing script adaptations. Karen has been married to husband John, a counselor and poet, for almost 40 years. They have two grown children—Anny and David. Their remaining ‘children’ are Lhasa Apsos' (Rusty, Mahli, and Rufus), a Shih Tzu (Sophie), and Clifford the cat.

2010-03-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

Aaron Miller – Associate Principal

Location: Islander Middle School

Job Description: As associate principal, Aaron works in tandem with the principal, Mary Jo Budzius, in overseeing the operation of the middle school.

Typical day: On most days, Aaron’s calendar is booked with whatever needs to be done, such as coordinating facility issues, student discipline concerns, or communicating with student, staff or parent groups. “A day without anything on my calendar is rare,” Aaron says, “and that kind of day fills up quickly.” In between tasks, Aaron pops into classrooms and hallways to interact with students. “This is a job that requires flexibility and multitasking,” says Aaron.

Best part of the job: Getting to know the kids and developing relationships that make coming to work worthwhile. Aaron, who hails from a family of teachers, says, “I have always wanted to work with middle school students. There’s a uniqueness to them and they create a positive buzz around the school.”

Something people may not know: Aaron grew up in Kent and, after graduating from Kentridge High School, considered becoming a lawyer. “The law seemed like a field I might do well in, because my brain works in a concrete, sequential way. But after my first political science course I felt disappointed. So I decided to go into teaching because working with kids keeps you vibrant and in touch with the world.“ He got his BA at Western, and his Masters of Teaching and Education Administration at Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Aaron began his teaching career in the Kent school district—six years as a middle school classroom teacher, and one year as Dean of Students.
Years worked in district: Five years.
Outside Interests: Aaron lives in Maple Valley with his wife Trez, daughter Kylie, age five, and son Jack, age 4. In his (rare) spare time, Aaron likes to golf and play softball.

2010-03-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

Angela Carey – Music Teacher

Location: Lakeridge Elementary

Job Description: Angela teaches the study of music, instruments, and musical performance.

Typical Day: Angela’s schedule varies from day-to-day. At 8 a.m. she might have 4th-5th grade choir. After that, she might see different grades in half-hour increments the rest of the day. Angela’s 1st and 2nd grade students recently studied Mozart’s opera, The Magic Flute. Her 3rd graders are getting ready for their Fine Arts Showcase performance. Her 4th graders are learning to play the recorder and will eventually study music composition. Her 5th graders are doing a song-writing unit and recently performed their Operetta ‘Horton Hears a Who.’ Angela teaches about 200 K-5 students per day.

Best part of the job: “Sharing my love of music with the kids.” Angela knows first-hand how exposure to music can influence a child’s interest—she fell in love with music as a three-year-old in Maltby, WA when she received her first instrument, a miniature organ. Angela went on to learn the piano, guitar, drums, and other instruments. “My 4th graders are learning to play the recorder right now,” she says. “I can hear them tootling away at recess! It is really gratifying to watch my students spread their wings and share their enthusiasm for music with others.”

Something people may not know: Angela tries to make time during lunch hour to play music with the other Lakeridge music teacher, Rachel Pesis. Angela also performs in several local bands: Yaamba— a marimba band, and an accordion band. She got her Music Ed degree at Western Washington University.
Years in district: Nine years.

Outside interests: Angela enjoys reading novels, and likes to hike Snoqualmie Pass and travel with her husband Aaron (their most recent trip was to Cozumel, Mexico, where a stranger at the airport taught her to play ‘Ain’t She Sweet’ on her ukulele). Angela and Aaron are collaborating on a video game music project.

2010-03-11T11:29:00.000-08:00

Colin Bush – Social Studies Teacher

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job Description: Social Studies: Honors Humanities, and 12th Grade International Studies Teacher

Typical Day: Colin begins his day at 5:30 a.m. well before his students arrive, to plan lessons and choose texts that will help students understand real-world philosophy and how to apply it to events around the world. His Humanities class, in fulfilling the Contemporary Events requirement for seniors, is currently discussing Haiti’s recent earthquake. They are exploring how past thinkers have responded to natural disasters—how have they tried to answer these questions: “Why did this happen? Did God cause this? Did we?” They are currently reading Voltaire’s Candide, which was written four years after an earthquake struck Lisbon and killed a quarter of the population.

Best part of the job: Colin is passionate about teaching students to put themselves in the shoes of people from all walks of life, and to look at different sides of world issues. “Students are often only dimly aware of conflicts in various regions of the world. They tend to get a one-sided version from the mainstream media. I suggest that there is no ‘one’ story—that there is a range of opinions and experiences. I want them to discover their own beliefs.”

Something people may not know: After growing up in Kentucky and graduating from Oberlin College with a degree in Comparative Religion, Colin worked as a long-distance truck driver and as a landscaper. He moved to Seattle in 1993 with his Malaysian wife, Uma, whom he met while both were junior year exchange students in Munich, Germany. They have been married for twenty-one years, although it only seems like nineteen. He completed a Master’s in History at the University of Washington in 2002 and his Master’s in Teaching from Seattle University in 2007.

Years worked in the district: Three years.

Outside interests: Colin enjoys spending time with his wife and children Mirabai (age eight), Kabir (age six) and their dog Fela (named after a Nigerian musician). The family lives in North Seattle. He collects 60’s era blues, rock, jazz, and soul music, enjoys identifying classic cars, and usually likes the kind of movies best that end unhappily. His life’s ambition is to create a joke with universal appeal.

2010-03-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

Brian Racy – Technology Specialist

Location: Mercer Island High School

Job Description: Brian supports the high school’s wireless computer network and provides technology support to students and staff for computers and printers.

Typical Day: Brian arrives before employees typically arrive to make sure that the high school’s wireless and wired networks are functioning well. Then he checks his email and voice mail for requests for computer help from staff. The remainder of his day is spent training and working with the student Technology Assistants, a small group of interested high school students. The students learn all aspects of technology assistance, “from both the human and machine standpoints,” says Brian. This could mean anything from maintaining the mobile computer labs that are moved from classroom to classroom, troubleshooting the network, or helping staff members with specific computer or printer issues.

Best part of the job: “Unquestionably,” says Brian, “working with the Tech Assistants.” Brian feels invested in the success of all of his past and present Tech Assistants and maintains contact with them even after they have graduated. He composes recommendations for colleges and stays up-to-date on their careers. Brian will be retiring at the end of June, after 38 years of service. He is ambivalent about a future job in technology if it does not involve teaching because his experience at MIHS has been so enjoyable. “The kids here are great,” he says.

Something people may not know: “I am also a teacher,” says Brian. He graduated from Eastern Washington University with a double major in French Language and Literature, and minors in Earth Science and English. He taught regular middle school and high school classes for 20 years until 1993, when then-high school principal Gary Bridgman asked him to head the acquisition and installation of “this new thing called personal computers,” in the high school’s classrooms. “Until then,” says Brian, “all we had were a few Apples and a huge IBM mainframe in the administration building that handled student registration and records.”

Years worked in district: 36 years.

Outside interests: Brian and his partner Mike live in West Seattle. They have two cats Oscar and Ginger, ages 17 and 13. Brian greatly enjoys riding his Honda CBR 954RR sport bike when the weather's fine, and he and Mike love to wander Washington and Oregon, especially the eastern halves, in their motorhome.

2010-03-11T11:13:00.000-08:00

Julie Riccio – Special Education Teacher

Location: Islander Middle School’s self-contained classroom

Job Description: Julie teaches functional academics and life skills to middle school students with special needs. In addition to the core subjects like science, math, reading and writing, Julie teaches individualized social and life skills. Problem-solving, from helping students make friends to learning to count change at the grocery store to making healthy food choices, forms a big part of Julie’s objective: to help her students reach independence and become well-balanced individuals. In her classroom, Julie’s students find consistency in a safe and loving environment, where they are also held accountable.

Typical Day: Julie arrives at 7 a.m. and begins to organize the day, answer emails and meet with colleagues and parents. Her students arrive at 8:05 a.m. Julie works with a consistent group of students and others who come and go during the day. General education peer mentors join the class to model social skills, make friends and learn more about what it means to be a special need student.

Best part of the job: The authenticity of her special needs students. “Typically, adolescents become insecure during the middle school years. But my kids never go through that. One of my students does not like it when I wear my hair up, and he is not shy about telling me, either. But he’s quick to compliment when I wear my hair down! It’s never a dull moment around here, and we laugh a ton.”

Something people may not know: Julie practices meditation daily and is a member of a meditation group with the goal of promoting peace and stillness in life. She even incorporates simple meditation techniques in her classroom to help students de-stress and learn to love themselves. “All people perform better and are happier in life when they are happy with themselves.” Julie says.

Years worked in the district: 3 years. Prior to coming to Mercer Island, Julie taught special education in Boston’s public schools. She got her undergrad degree at Connecticut College, and her masters at Boston College.

Outside interests: Julie and her husband Cam live on Capital Hill with their extremely loving 11-month old Pit-Bull/Sharpei, Teddy. Due to Teddy’s recent leg surgery, Julie’s students ask daily for a ‘Teddy update.’ Though Teddy is currently out-of-commission, Julie continues to do what she loves— “to move. Like my students, I have a hard time sitting still.” So she bikes, swims, snowboards, rock climbs, runs, and plays soccer.

2010-03-01T08:21:00.000-08:00

Nathan Friend – Radio Broadcasting Teacher

Job Description: Nathan teaches audio production and radio broadcasting at Mercer Island High school.

Location: Mercer Island High School’s radio station, KMIH “Hot Jamz” 88.9/94.5fm

Typical Day: Nathan is a part-time teacher so he arrives mid-morning and prepares for his afternoon class of 20 students. The yearlong course introduces students to the radio industry with a focus on hands-on training for a variety of jobs such as production, engineering, programming, and business. Nathan spends half of his time teaching and half managing the station. He also works with community volunteers who advise and assist him in running the station.

Best part of the job: “I like working hands-on with students, watching them learn and have fun with the recording/editing equipment. Since this is my first teaching job, everything is new!” Nathan recently worked with Brody LaRock at Crest Learning Center on a digital storytelling project called, “This I Believe.” “I particularly enjoy field recording and storytelling,” says Nathan.

Something people may not know: Nathan was managing the high school internship program at KUOW when he heard about the opening at MIHS. He still works at KUOW doing production work.

Years worked in the district: Less than one year. Nathan grew up in Seattle and graduated from Shorewood High School. After college he taught English in Italy and then worked for KUOW as an assistant producer and managing editor of the internship program.

Outside interests: Nathan loves the outdoors and is hosting a new “green” lifestyle reality TV show, “Mission: Sustainable.” The concept is similar to the home makeover shows; only this one is about a “green makeover” for an entire lifestyle. Nathan does environmental outreach for the City of Seattle, plays soccer and manages his own adult soccer league. He also enjoys hiking, running, biking – anything outside, which is “probably why I am so passionate about the environment.”

2010-03-01T08:19:00.000-08:00

Miriam Friedman – Occupational Therapist at Lakeridge, IMS, and High School

Job Description: Miriam works with several different students to help improve fine and gross motor skills that impact each student’s educational performance. Miriam identifies the underlying impairments that contribute to a motor dysfunction and plans her treatment accordingly.

Location: At Lakeridge Elementary 3.5 days per week. At IMS and MIHS the remainder.

Typical Day: On average Miriam works with 33 students per week. She tries to make therapy fun. “If it isn’t fun,” Miriam says, “it isn’t good therapy.” She sees students from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, and the rest of her day is spent doing paperwork, session planning, evaluations, screenings, meetings, and communicating with parents.

Best part of the job: The challenges. Miriam loves knowing she is helping students overcome challenges in fun ways. There is one game in particular that she and her younger students enjoy: A child lies stomach-down on a swing, which hangs in the middle of the OT room. Miriam holds out a large plastic ring to the child and they play “tug of war” until someone lets go—which either sends Miriam stumbling backward or the child swinging off in the opposite direction. “It’s a hoot!” Miriam says. “The kids have no idea they are building their proximal shoulder strength. They just know they are having fun.”

Something people may not know: After growing up in Chicago, Miriam began a career in advertising but then rediscovered an interest that took root at age 7 when she volunteered her time on Sunday mornings to help children with disabilities. After moving to Seattle, she pursued a Masters of Occupational Therapy degree at the University of Washington. Miriam then worked at Harborview in trauma rehabilitation prior to joining MISD in March of 2009.

Years worked in the district: 1 year.

Outside interests: Miriam and her husband, Jon, moved to Seattle six years ago when he began a job with Microsoft. They enjoy spending time with their children Jacob (age 3) and daughter Iyla (age 6 months), and traveling, often to visit family back in Chicago. Their most recent trip was to Israel.

2010-03-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

Stephanie John-Lewis – 5th Grade Teacher

Location: Room 16 at Island Park Elementary School

Job Description: Stephanie teaches math, science, language arts, social studies and art to 24 active 5th graders.

Typical Day: Stephanie works from 8 am until 4 pm and doesn’t stop until she gets in the car to go home with her two sons Kaleb and Jakob, both students at Island Park. She is always working on new ways to engage her students in learning and has recently introduced “itouches” to her students for research, recording, taking notes and keeping track of their homework. “The kids are learning in a new way,” says Stephanie.

Best part of the job: “I love teaching, especially 5th graders. They are independent, smart and a lot of fun!”

Something people may not know: Stephanie has a Masters degree in Educational Technology, and often assists her colleagues in working with technology as a tool for learning. She holds “open labs” in everything from building and managing web sites to working with First Class, the district’s email system.

Years worked in the district: 16 years. Stephanie grew up in Yakima and received her BA from Central Washington and MA from City University.

Outside interests: Stephanie and her husband Kelly John-Lewis (who is a coach and security liaison at MIHS), spend a lot of time with their two very active boys. “Name a sport and they are in it!” says Stephanie. She also enjoys gardening and travel, especially to Mexico and Europe.

2010-02-08T14:33:00.000-08:00

Mike Lein – “The Phone Guy”

Location: Central Administration Building

Job Description: Mike is in charge of the phone system for the Mercer Island School District including all low voltage wiring and repairs, from the faceplate to inside the walls. “I spend a lot of time in our building’s attics,” says Mike. He also works with the maintenance crew on every imaginable job, including clearing debris out of rain-filled parking lot gutters. Mike helps with video conferencing and the schools’ security systems. He spends a lot of time saving money for the district by fixing reusable items like computers, amplifiers and more.

Typical Day: Mike arrives at 6 a.m. and immediately makes sure the phones are working. He is always working on a myriad of repair projects, like a computer that was spilled on or an amplifier that may just need a new fuse. If a videoconference is scheduled at the high school, he makes sure the system is working ahead of time and stays close by to troubleshoot any problems.

Best part of the job: “I like fixing things that can be salvaged,” says Mike. “I hate waste, especially when the problem is as simple as a new fuse.”

Something people may not know: Mike has a teaching degree from Washington State University, with an endorsement in science. After his sophomore year, he and a friend traveled for three months throughout the South Pacific, from Majuro to Guam. “Back then it was one of the least explored regions in the world,” said Mike.

Years worked in the district: 16 years. Mike joined the maintenance crew in 1993 and volunteered to take over the new phone system that was installed in 1994/95. “I know everyone in the district,” he said. “But only by name!”

Outside interests: Mike and his wife Donna live in Fall City. They have two boys Justin and Kevin, ages 22 and 17. Mike enjoys fixing things at home. “I rarely hire anyone to help me, but if I do it’s only once because I watch and learn how to do whatever it is.” Mike also likes to spend time in his cabin in northern British Columbia.

2010-02-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

Natasha Robson – Electives Teacher

Location: Islander Middle School
Job Description: Natasha teaches drama and advanced writing to middle school students. She also runs Islander’s Mentor/Structured Studies program with fellow teacher Bill Henneger. Until this year, she produced the IMS school play.

Typical Day: Natasha teaches five classes a day -- advanced writing in the morning followed by drama and structured studies in the afternoon.

Best part of the job: Working with students in her areas of interest. Natasha is a former actress and is in the process of earning her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University in Los Angeles. She and her middle school students enjoy working on assignments together, especially poetry. Her classroom is set up in a circle with comfortable chairs and footstools to help students feel more at ease sharing their writing with each other. In drama classes, Natasha’s students learn improvisation, theatre history and puppetry. They enjoy presenting puppet shows to elementary students.

Something people may not know: Natasha was born in South Africa and lived there until she was 14 years old. She has a strong South African accent, but you would never know it because acting classes taught her how to “speak American.”

Years worked in the district: Five years. Natasha came from Arizona where she worked as a long-term substitute. She received her teaching degree from Northern Arizona University.

Outside interests: Natasha lives in a condo in Kirkland near the lake. Besides writing prose poems and “flash fiction”, she likes animals and just got a kitten. Her students have promised to help her name it! Natasha is one of those rare people who loves Northwest winters. “I am an artist so I thrive on seasons and dark weather,” she says. “Our weather helps me to be more reflective.”

2010-02-08T14:27:00.000-08:00

Susie Brown – Counselor at Mercer Island High School

Job Description: Susie works with four other counselors at the high school to help students make decisions about high school program needs as well as post high school plans. Most MIHS students attend college, but some choose technical schools, art school or taking a “gap” year to travel or work. On average with five counselors, each counselor works with about 280 students.

Location: Mercer Island High School

Typical Day: There isn’t one. Susie’s door is always open to students, parents and staff. In the fall, she manages freshmen registration and presents students with the “high school and beyond plan.” She helps students fill in the on-line plan, which includes a personality test and interest survey. She also works with college counselor Mj Hillstrom to assist students with the college selection process. Another important part of Susie’s job is helping students, staff and parents with crisis management and referrals.

Best part of the job: “The kids! I tell people I have 350 children. I love them all.”

Something people may not know: In 2004 Susie was diagnosed with cancer and has been fighting the disease ever since. She says, “I truly believe that the Mercer Island community and my students, families and colleagues are one reason I am still here. Everyone rallied around me – families helped me with grocery shopping and meals; my students took me to chemotherapy sessions and to the hospital. One family even volunteered to send me to Texas for treatment! This is a very special community.”

Years worked in the district: 18 years. Susie grew up on Mercer Island and in Bellevue. Before coming to MIHS, Susie worked for six years as a social studies and English teacher at Kennewick High School.

Outside interests: Susie enjoys learning new things and traveling, especially to Brazil. She is involved with the Quero Ser Institute in Brazil and the Stoneflower Foundation in Seattle to help Brazilian kids from “barrios” get access to a quality education and adequate medical care. She and teacher Patrick Rigby at Crest Learning Center are working on a partnership with the Quero Ser Institute and Mercer Island High School to engage high school students in learning about Brazilian life and culture. In her spare time, Susie teaches ESL at night to Portuguese-speaking immigrants.

2010-01-13T11:10:00.000-08:00

Brian Favorite – Island Park Elementary

Job Title: Paraprofessional

Job Description: Brian works with 4th grade teachers at Island Park Elementary to provide supplemental help in the classroom and support students both one-on-one and in small groups. He also works with the “Eagles Nest” morning math group for “students in the middle,” coordinates Friday enrichment activities and helps run “Recess Camp.” He is a crossing guard in the morning and afternoon, and this winter he is the assistant director of the school musical, Mary Poppins.

Location: Island Park Elementary

Typical Day: Brian begins his day as a crossing guard, directing traffic and students for safe arrival to school. He then divides his time among the school’s four 4th-grade classrooms. During recess, he helps to run “Recess Camp,” offering creative alternative activities for students. Some of these include: Sewing & Knitting Club, building things with boxes, ping pong and kick ball games. On Fridays he runs the enrichment program which, most recently, has involved the all-student video commercial project. Under Brian’s direction, Island Park students have learned to be producers, directors, writers and script supervisors for 20 minutes worth of school “commercials.” This winter all 104 fourth-graders will learn to do “public service announcements” in the form of rap songs. Brian and his team plan to create a DVD of all of the commercials and PSA’s for parents to enjoy.

Best part of the job: Getting to know the kids by working with them one-on-one and in small groups.

Something people may not know: Brian grew up in Los Angeles and worked in production for many TV sitcoms such as “Mad About You,” “Married With Children” and “Grace Under Fire.” He also worked for TechTV in San Francisco. After 9/11, Brian had a mid-life crisis and went back to school for a teaching degree. Then he spent a year in Tonga with the Peace Corps and now he is at Island Park!

Years worked in the district: This is Brian’s first year in the district.

Outside interests: Working on a documentary about Tonga, yoga, swimming and spending time with his family -- niece Eve Berrington, a sophomore at MIHS and her dad, Jim Berrington. They all live on Mercer Island.

2010-01-13T11:06:00.000-08:00

Rich Mellish – Principal of West Mercer Elementary

Location: West Mercer

Job Description: Rich is the first line of support for students, staff and parents. His primary responsibility is to make sure West Mercer is a safe and welcoming school so that students learn everyday. He works hard to engage all stakeholders in the school community on the same goal – student learning.

Typical Day: There isn’t one. Rich spends his time in classrooms as much as possible. Sometimes he does a school-wide “walk-through,” dropping in on classrooms for 5-10 minutes at a time to get a sense of student learning. Other times he does longer, more formal visits. Rich’s other tasks involve communication with staff, families and others involved in the school, as well as budget planning and professional development for teachers. He enjoys working with others to support and develop school systems and structures that enhance student learning. Everyday is unique, and although there is the occasional need to respond to unplanned issues, Rich says, “Things run smoothly at West Mercer. I work with a wonderful staff team.” For the last year and a half Rich has been part of a district team that selected and is implementing a new elementary math curriculum.

Best part of the job: Spending time with students and supporting teachers in their efforts to help all students learn.

Something people may not know: Rich learned how to speak Spanish, French and Swahili in college. “I wanted to go to Africa, but never made it. I ended up going to Mexico and Albania, but I didn’t learn much Albanian. It is a language unrelated to any language on earth!”

Years worked in the district: 2 years. Rich came to Mercer Island after 14 years in the Seattle Public School District where he taught high school math for seven years and served seven years as an elementary principal.

Outside interests: Rich and his wife Jennifer live in Renton with their two boys Ty (age 6) and Ryan (age 3). Rich enjoys spending time with his family, playing racquetball, white-water rafting and reading a good book.

2010-01-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Barthelme – RN,MN, School Nurse

Job Description: Bonnie is a certified school nurse for the Mercer Island School District. She works with the other school nurses to coordinate school and community health for students and staff. School nurses also review, update and inform staff about health policies. Other jobs include: notifying parents and staff about contagious illness in the schools, working with the public health department, writing health reports for special education students, and writing health plans for children with life threatening conditions (asthma, allergies, heart conditions etc). Nurses also train staff in how to deal with anaphylaxis, asthma, seizures, diabetes and administering epi-pens. Bonnie is ESA certified, which means she has received special training in school law, special education and health law.

Location: Lakeridge Elementary and Islander Middle School

Typical Day: Bonnie’s door is always open to students and staff. She sees an average of 30 people every day at each school. Staff members come in at the onset of illness, to check temperature or blood pressure and seek advice on medications. Students come in with recess injuries (either real or perceived). “We give out a lot of band aids, ice packs and glasses of water,” says Bonnie. “Sometimes students get stressed at school and come in with a headache or stomach ache. More often than not they just need to rest a short while and hydrate. It is our job to rule out true illness or injury.”

Best part of the job: The kids, all of them, Kindergarten through 8th grade! They are all so special to work with.

Something people may not know: Bonnie worked as an American Embassy nurse in Nepal for four years. She has also hiked to many of the base camps in Nepal.

Years worked in the district: 14 years. Before coming to Mercer Island, Bonnie worked in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Home Health Care and the American Embassy Medical Clinic in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Outside interests: Bonnie enjoys travel, adventure and riding “sidecar” on a motorcycle. Her 19-year old daughter graduated from MIHS and is currently attending Willamette University.

2009-12-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Patty Shipman – Elementary School Psychologist

Location: Island Park Elementary

Job Description: Patty works with children, families and classroom teachers on assessments for students who need learning interventions. Her goal is to help students succeed with the aid of several school programs such as the Learning Assistance Program, Title I and Special Education.

Typical Day: Patty works three days a week, from 8 am to 4:30 pm. She spends her days working with children, families and the Learning Support Team that assists parents with learning issues. She administers assessments and spends much of her time writing reports and handling paperwork.

Best part of the job: “I love the challenge of figuring out the “puzzles” involved in learning and watching students make progress. I have always enjoyed all kinds of puzzles, but nothing is more fun or challenging than this job!”

Something people may not know: Patty was an investigator for the Department of Defense before she became an educational psychologist. When her son had learning difficulties, she decided to change careers so she could help other students. She has a Masters in Counseling from WSU and Education Specialist degree from Seattle University. But unlike school counselors who deal more with emotional issues, educational psychologists are specifically trained to work with students who have learning differences.

Years worked in the district: 6 years

Outside interests: Patty and her husband Paul live on Mercer Island. Both of their grown children went through Mercer Island schools. Now they live with a “great dog” named Barley. Patty enjoys cooking, entertaining and … figuring out puzzles!

2009-12-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

Doug Davis – 7th grade Science teacher and 7th/8th grade Media Tech teacher

Location: Islander Middle School

Job Description: Doug teaches general science to about eighty (80) 7th graders and Media Tech to over fifty (50) 7th and 8th grade students. His science classes cover physical science, the chemistry of matter, life science, genetics, evolution, plants and animals, microscopes and human biology. Media Tech students produce video news clips every other Monday, including fake commercials, announcements, teacher features, teacher/student competitions and more.

Typical Day: There isn’t one. Doug arrives at 8 am and begins with first and second period Media Tech classes. These classes involve a lot of troubleshooting with students to figure out the technology and to develop ideas. “My role is to help them come up with programming that is good-natured, fun and friendly,” says Doug. His science classes are “not the read-the-book kind of classes. All of us teach through hands-on experiences and constructivist learning. Today we are doing a chemical reactions lab, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen to show the difference between elements and compounds.”

Best part of the job: “Every day is different, every year is different. People sometimes ask me how I can do the same job year after year, but there are so many personalities to work with it’s like coming to a new job everyday. I always enjoy coming to work in the morning.”

Something people may not know: “I got good grades in school, but I was a terrible student because I never worked at it. I decided to become a teacher so I could be better than the ones I had.”

Years worked in the district: 16 years.

Outside interests: Doug and his wife Tahne Davis, a graphic designer, have two boys ages three and seven. They recently moved to Mercer Island from the Mt. Baker neighborhood. “We are an active family,” said Doug. “We spend lots of time biking, skiing, playing sports with the kids – anything outside.” Doug is also an elite level cyclist in the Pro 1 and 2 group. That means he rides with pro cyclists when they come to town! Doug confesses to owning 11 bikes. “You could say I have a passion for biking and bikes,” he says.

2009-12-11T13:18:00.000-08:00

Tom Cox – Choir Director at Islander Middle School and Mercer Island High School

Job Description: Tom teaches choral singing at Islander and MIHS. He also teaches guitar at the high school. His main “instruments” are his voice and guitar, but he can “fake” playing the piano. Tom works with over 140 students enrolled in choir or in his guitar classes.

Location: Mercer Island High School, Room 503

Typical Day: “No such thing!” says Tom. He arrives everyday at 6:30 am and starts teaching at 8 am. He teaches at the high school in the morning and goes to IMS in the afternoon.

Best part of the job: Working with his students and the camaraderie he enjoys with the district’s other music teachers. “I love seeing the lights go on when my students master a difficult piece.” Tom also keeps in touch with many of his former students. “My wife and I were invited to a wedding of two of my former students who met in choir. They thanked us for being involved in their lives. That really meant a lot!”

Something people may not know: Tom has studied music for most of his life. He started performing while attending Olympic Junior College in Bremerton and ended up supporting himself as a professional musician throughout the 1970’s and into the mid-80’s. His band, “China” played at many of the Northwest’s most famous venues, including Parkers, Pier 70 and the Spanish Ballroom. Tom went back to school when he was in his mid-30s, earning a BA at the UW and a Masters in Teaching at Seattle Pacific University.

Years worked in the district: 18 years. Tom worked as a substitute at MIHS and ended up replacing long-time choir director Larry Potts. “I was in the right place at the right time,” says Tom

Outside interests: Tom enjoys spending time with his wife Valaree Cox, an accomplished artist, and their 17- year old daughter Callan. He still plays guitar and sings with various groups in the area, playing jazz, singing top 40 songs during 4-hour gigs and earning excellent pay. “I am a weekend warrior!” says Tom. “I love playing music.”

2009-11-17T12:54:00.000-08:00

Kathy Morrison - Director of Elementary Learning Support

Job Description: Kathy provides support to our elementary principals and staff in curriculum development, professional staff development and school improvement planning. She is also in charge of Title I, the Learning Assistance Programs, English Language Learners Program, and nomination and selection of students for Gifted Education.

Location: Central Office Building

Typical Day: Kathy arrives at 8:00 am and begins her day by checking her email and calendar. She meets with principals, teachers and administrators on a daily basis. Recently, she has been working with teachers and principals in support of the new math curriculum implementation. Most days she goes home after 5:00 pm.

Best part of the job: “I love being around elementary students and staff. This is where I began my career as a music teacher before I became a principal and administrator.”

Something people may not know: Kathy served as the district’s first and only associate principal from 1998-2000 during the years that elementary school enrollment was over 600 students. She was the Principal of Island Park Elementary School for eight years and Associate Superintendent for two years.

Years worked in the district: 18 years. “I particularly enjoy living and working in the same community, watching students grow up and developing many wonderful relationships.”

Outside interests: Kathy loves music and is an accomplished pianist. She and her husband Frank have raised four very successful children who all spent their K-12 years in the Mercer Island School District. Kathy particularly enjoys reading, traveling, going on long walks and time with family and friends.

2009-11-17T12:49:00.000-08:00

Bunnie Lehan – Bus Driver

Job Description: Bunnie transports elementary, middle and high school students from their homes along East Mercer Way to school. “I actually enjoy driving East Mercer Way, especially in the fall and spring. I even like it when something goes wrong and I have a new challenge like backing the bus around a fallen tree.”

Location: Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Building

Typical Day: Bunnie arrives at 6:30 am and gets ready for her morning run driving high school, middle and elementary school students. She drives kindergarten students at mid-day and elementary students in the afternoon. Bunnie drives 175-200 students every day. She usually goes home at 4:30 pm.

Best part of the job: “I love interacting with kids. They are a lot of fun and their lives are so happy and carefree. I try to be there when they need someone to talk to. Sometimes I feel like a mother hen! This year I have a few Japanese students who are learning to speak English. They were so scared when they first got on the bus. I put them in the second seat and I have even learned a few words of Japanese. I am now driving the children of my first 'children' on Mercer Island. I have had the privilege of watching them grow up and hope that I have given them something positive to take away from their childhood.”

Something people may not know: Bunnie has seven grandchildren and is a great-grandmother to two girls ages one and three.
Years worked in the district: 27 years and “I wouldn’t do anything else!”

Outside interests: Bunnie enjoys knitting, crocheting, 'dabbling' in crafts and reading both fiction and non-fiction. She also loves being outside.

2009-11-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

Danae Burger – 7th Grade Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher

Job Description: Danae teaches language arts and social studies to 80 7th grade students at Islander Middle School. Her students learn Washington State history and read novels such as “The Outsiders,” “Ghost Canoe,” and “Farewell to Manzanar.” Since 7th grade is the first year students are tested on the WASL writing exam, they practice persuasive writing and write multiple expository essays. Students are engaged in project-based learning with projects such as “Rock Around Washington” and the year-end Culture Project.

Location: Islander Middle School

Typical Day: Danae arrives at 7:00 am and begins her day by standing in line at the copy machine with all of the other “regulars” who have last-minute projects to complete. Her first class begins with “the sleepy kids” for first period. This year, though, they’re not sleepy! She can often be found during prep period grading papers on her yoga mat. Danae finishes her day with the afternoon block.

Best part of the job: Working with middle school students. “Many of them have been together since kindergarten, so they know each other really well. They are very funny – I have one student who sings my instructions back to me! On a good day, I walk out of here thinking 'I can’t believe I get paid for this.' On bad days, when I teach sloppily, I am hard on myself. But we are so well supported at IMS. I am recognized for my strengths and encouraged to be a leader in areas I excel in. In my third year of teaching, I am finally learning how to teach smarter.”

Something people may not know: “I am learning to cook. Someday I would like to learn the art of flower arranging.”

Years worked in the district: Three years. Danae came to Mercer Island after her first year of teaching in the Northshore school district.

Outside interests: Danae enjoys travel, snow skiing and reading, even though she is a slow reader. She says, “I understand why it’s difficult for some kids to get through 21 books a year!” She visits Minnesota, her home state, whenever she can. Danae and her husband Jeremy live in an apartment in downtown Mercer Island. “We love it,” she says. “Everything we need is right here.”

2009-10-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

Alex Lin-Meyer – 4th grade teacher, Lakeridge Elementary

Job Description: Alex teaches math, science, social studies, reading and writing to 24 4th graders every day. He works on inspiring kids to have confidence in their ability to learn and get along with others. “Fourth graders are still at an age when you can help them change their perceptions about themselves. It’s very cool to be a part of that.”

Typical Day: Alex arrives at 8 am (after a 7:45 am Starbucks stop). He stays until 5 pm, sometimes 7 pm. “It takes a lot of planning to make teaching seem effortless.” Alex and his students do a lot of fun things like growing plants for science lessons, participating in student-run class meetings, reading amazing books, and showcasing their math talents. They also go on field trips to enhance learning in the classroom.

Best part of the job: “Making a difference in the lives of my students. I never dread coming to work on Mondays!

Something people may not know: This is Alex’s 4th year of teaching. So far he has taught 6th, 1st, 2nd and 4th grade. Before becoming a teacher, Alex worked as an aerospace engineer and a web developer. “I am blessed to be at Lakeridge. It is such a positive atmosphere – everyone is focused on kids and all of the teachers help each other. It’s a wonderful place to be.”

Outside interests: Alex and his wife Monica live in Ballard with their 2 cats. Alex says, “I couldn’t be doing this job without the support of my wife. She’s really a major reason I’m here.” One of Alex’s favorite activities is scuba diving, especially with sharks. “They remind me that I really am a small fish in a very big pond!”

2009-10-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

Peggy Chapman – Administrative Assistant to the Principal

Job Description: Peggy keeps track of her principal’s (Fred Rundle) calendar, arranges meetings, prepares agendas, helps in the Health Room, interfaces with parents and deals with children every day. “Sometimes I just listen to them. They have a lot on their minds and need to tell someone right away. I am often the first person they see so they tell me.”

Note: While conducting this interview over a period of 15 minutes, at least 3 children had something to say to Peggy!

Typical Day: Peggy arrives at 7:40 am (“I am supposed to be here at 7:30 am, but I am not a morning person so I make it up at the end of the day.”) Before the children arrive at 9 am, Peggy checks her substitute teacher list, does the weekly bulletin on Mondays and issues keys to the subs. Then, she does attendance, and checks in on kids who don’t show up to make sure they are safe. In between she does everything in her job description.

Best part of the job: Everything. “I love my job! Every day goes by so fast I forget I am working.”

Something people may not know: “I am not as organized at home as I am at work.” And – Peggy makes it her job to know every child in the school.

Years worked in the district: 35 years. Peggy started as a volunteer at Mercer Crest Elementary and has worked for 6 different principals.

Outside interests: Peggy is an avid reader, especially mysteries. “I plan to be a sleazy detective in my next life!” She also enjoys golf. “I have played for 20 years and still haven’t gotten any better, but I like it anyway.”

2009-10-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

Judy Burnstin – Career & Technology Education Teacher (CTE)

Job Description: Judy teaches beginning and Advanced Video, Photoshop and Web/Multimedia at Mercer Island High School

Location: Room 301 at Mercer Island High School

Typical Day: Judy starts her day at 7:30 am and spends an hour or so in her office preparing for classes. On non-block days, she teaches all of her classes, beginning with Web Multimedia, Advanced Video and Photoshop before lunch, then 2 beginning video classes in the afternoon.

Best part of the job: “I love working with kids, and since my classes are electives, the students usually want to be here. I set the parameters for the assignments and leave the content up to the students. They are very creative and come up with new and different ideas all of the time. For example, one Photoshop assignment is to design a book cover and have a plot summary. Every single one is different! These are currently on display at the high school library.

Something people may not know: Joel McHale of “Almost Live” and “Community”, and Ethan Sandler, an actor in “Crossing Jordan” were students in Judy’s classes.

Years worked in the district: 21 years

Outside interests: Judy enjoys movies (one of her favorites is “The Sting” with Paul Newman and Robert Redford) and always goes to the Northwest Film Festival. She also enjoys travel and politics. Last summer she traveled with her family on a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage. Judy spends a lot time with her own continuing education to stay current in the rapidly changing field of digital media education. “We used to call CTE “Voc Tech”. It has changed a lot over the years. It is still ‘hands-on’, but is very focused on up-dating course content so that student skills match industry standards. In doing so, there is also a more concerted effort to emphasize and incorporate core areas such as writing, math and science into our curriculum.” Courses are career focused by including a lot of skills that can be used by all students.

2009-10-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

Melissa Ralph: 7th grade Math teacher

Job Description: Melissa teaches 7th grade Pre-Algebra to 135 students, five periods a day. Her students are learning the foundations of Algebra and Geometry in classes of 21 – 29 students.

Location: Islander Middle School

Typical Day: Melissa usually arrives at 7:30 am to plan her day before the students arrive. She teaches 1st and 2nd period, has 3rd off, then teaches 4th, 5th and 6th periods. She often spends time planning lessons on the ‘Smart Board.” Melissa really appreciates having this powerful tool for learning. “It is an interactive screen connected to my computer and a document camera. We have a lot of fun sharing our thinking and discovering new ways to solve problems. I can save all of the students’ work on my computer.”

Best part of the job: “Building relationships with middle school students. This is a difficult time in their lives – they have a lot going on besides school. I find myself being both a teacher and a mentor to them. It is so much fun to see them get excited about math.”

Years worked in the district: 17 years

Something people may not know: Melissa has taught 2nd, 3rd , 4th grade and Special Ed at Island Park. She also taught PE at Lakeridge. Last year she was named MISD’s Teacher of the Year.

Outside interests: Melissa and her husband Mike live on Mercer Island and enjoy spending time with their children, Austin, age 13, a student at IMS (this week, he has changed his name to Houston!) and Lauren, a 4th grader at Lakeridge. Melissa trains for Triathlons and loves to read in the summer. She tries to read all of the Newberry Award winners and enjoys Jodi Picoult novels and The Twilight Series.

2009-10-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

Tracy Michaels: Paraeducator, Special Education

Job Description: Tracy works with Special Ed teacher Nancy Murray in teaching math, reading, writing, behavior and self-regulation skills to about 25 K-5 Special Education students at West Mercer Elementary.

Location: West Mercer Elementary

Typical Day: Tracy’s regular hours are 9 am – 3:30 pm. Her first students (five 4th graders) arrive at 9:30 am. Under teacher Nancy Murray's direction, Tracy works with 2 of the students, while Nancy teaches 3. Each session lasts 30 minutes, and there are 8 sessions each day. They use district curriculum, but also have access to subscription web sites for on-line resources. They do a lot of “pulling and planning” to find the right combination of materials for each child. Nancy Murray is in charge of writing and tracking the Individual Education Plans (IEP) for the students.

Best part of the job: “I love working with the kids and seeing their success at passing the WASL and being able to learn in the regular classroom setting. It is tremendously satisfying for me.”

Years worked in the district: 7 years

Something people may not know: “Every child in the Special Ed program requires one to one instruction in every area we teach.”

Outside interests: Tracy enjoys spending time with her son, Tony who is currently attending the Golf Academy of America, and her 88 year-old grandmother, who is in the process of moving in with her. She loves to read, especially true stories.

2009-10-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

Todd Kelsay: Director of Transportation

Job Description: Todd is in charge of all transportation for Mercer Island School District students, including the MISD bus fleet and working with Metro. He manages 40 drivers, as well as all the sub drivers.

Location: The brand new Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Building located behind Crest Learning Center. The old MOT building was removed due to the PEAK project.

Typical Day: Todd begins his day between 6:30 and 7:00 am. This time of year he has been working with drivers to train students to cross the street safely as they get on and off the bus. He is also very busy with student bus count as this number dictates how much state funding the district gets for transportation. Todd is constantly working on route adjustments, making sure we don’t overload routes. There is ongoing work buying and selling buses, training drivers and dealing with student management issues. We have very few behavior problems on our buses!

Best part of the job: “I loved being a driver (Todd drove for his first two years in the District), but now it’s working with people who enjoy being around students. Our drivers have been with us an average of 14 years. They know all of the students’ names, and many students grow up with the same driver. Most of them will say this is the best job they have ever had. It’s a wonderful work environment.”

Years worked in the district: 5 years

Something people may not know: MISD is unique in that we allow students to use different stops, depending on where they need to go after school. We can accommodate almost any request.

Outside interests: Todd loves spending time with his family. He and his wife Kris have two children—their daughter Shea, age 12, is a student at IMS, and son Conner, age 16, goes to MIHS. Todd also enjoys mountain climbing and skydiving. He has climbed mountains all over the world, but particularly loves the Cascades. He has been on top of Mt. Rainier 30 times!

2009-09-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

Amie Fahey – Image and Child Development teacher

Job Description: Amie teaches Image and Child Development classes, part of the CTE (Career and Technolgy education) department at Mercer Island High school. Amie’s students learn about overall health & wellness including: diseases, CPR, alcohol & drug abuse, nutrition, coping skills, sex education and depression. She also teaches Yoga at the high school.

Location: Mercer Island High School

Typical Day: Amie starts her day at 10 am (she is a part-time teacher) and spends an hour and a half or so in her office planning, grading and making phone calls to guest speakers. She says there are “many professionals in our community who enjoy speaking to the students.” Recently the class heard a speaker from the Anti-Defamation League talk about Internet safety. Amie then teaches an Image class and her Yoga class in the afternoon. She usually leaves at 3:30 pm.

Best part of the job: “I love everything about my job! I have great people to work with and great kids to teach.”

Something people may not know: Teaching Yoga is one of the most difficult aspects of Amie’s job. “It is very difficult to help my students just ‘turn off.’ They are so used to the constant stimulation with cell phones and technology that they don’t know how to just do nothing and clear their thoughts.”

Years worked in the district: This is Amie’s 2nd year of teaching.

Outside interests: Her family! Amie and her husband Chris have two children, Abby and Eli, both students at West Mercer. They love the outdoors and enjoy boating, waterskiing, tennis and going to Lake Chelan.

2009-09-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Steve Baird – Maintenance Engineer/District Electrician

Job Description: Steve is one of three Maintenance Engineers in the district. He is officially the district’s electrician, but works in all aspects of maintenance including carpentry, window glazing, signage, plumbing, HVAC and more.

Location: The Maintenance Shop near Central Administration

Typical Day: Steve starts his day at 6 am to work in the buildings before anyone arrives. He takes care of lighting issues, including changing bulbs or wiring and works his way through a daily “punch list” of jobs that need to get done. It is Steve you see driving around in the white truck with the “boom” on top. Before the district got the truck, Steve used to work on the parking lot lights with a ladder. “It got a little scary sometimes,” he said. In the afternoon, he goes back to the office to complete paperwork, check his emails and go over his list of work orders for the next day. He leaves at 2:30 pm.

Best part of the job: No day is ever the same and I get to see all of my girls’ activities.

Something people may not know: There are no “subs” in maintenance, so each engineer needs to be able to fill in for the other. This past year Steve has worked on everything from remodeling the Superintendent’s office, to converting the lighting in the portables to energy saving lights, to building covered roofs for the dug outs at the South Mercer field. He also did cement work at West Mercer.

Years worked in the district: 29 years. Steve graduated from Mercer Island High School in 1980 and started driving a school bus. Then he got the job in maintenance and has been here ever since.

Outside interests: Steve and his wife Chris have 3 daughters – Caitlin, MacKenzie and Haley, all at Mercer Island High School. The family enjoys the outdoors, particularly boating on Lake Washington, and Steve likes to ride his bicycle, ski and work on his various remodeling projects.

2009-09-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Cindy Weber – Learning Support Paraprofessional

Job Description: Cindy works with small groups of children from kindergarten through 5th grade who need extra help learning to read.

Location: Island Park

Typical Day: Every 30 minutes Cindy meets with a different group of 3-5 children in various locations throughout the school. With kindergartners, she often works on phonemic awareness; 1st graders, phonics and site words, and with older children, fluency, comprehension and writing.

Best part of the job: “It is never boring or repetitive. I particularly enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to help a child who isn’t learning, or struggling with reading in some way. I am fortunate to be able to work with the wonderful staff at Island Park.

Years worked in the district: 10

Outside interests: Cindy enjoys reading, cooking and travel. Every year she trains for two different walking half-marathons with a group called, “Team Transplant”, a group of transplant recipients, their friends and families. Cindy’s brother is an organ transplant recipient.

2009-09-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

Fred Rundle – Principal of Lakeridge Elementary School

Job Description: Fred is new to Lakeridge this year, taking over for Ralph Allen who retired in June. Fred is the first line of support for students, staff and parents. His primary responsibility is to make sure Lakeridge is a safe and welcoming school so that students learn everyday. He works hard to engage all stakeholders in the school community on the same goal – student learning.

Location: Lakeridge

Typical Day: According to Fred, “There isn’t one! That is why I love this job.” He often begins the day with a before school meeting with staff and/or parents to discuss student learning, reflect on school practices and improvement plans. He then greets the children and walks through the halls. Then, he may be in another meeting before lunch. He is present in the lunchroom and visits classrooms as often as possible. Everyday is prioritized according to students’ needs, which is why it is never the same. After school, Fred may have more meetings before he catches up on his email.

Best part of the job: “The times I still get to teach, both children and adults.”

Something people may not know: Fred taught elementary school for 5 years and high school for 1 year before he became an elementary school principal.

Years worked in the district: Just started.

Outside interests: Fred and his family moved to the area from Colorado where he most recently worked as an elementary school principal in the Douglas County School District. He and his wife Dana enjoy boating and camping with their two young children. Fred and Dana met while they were undergraduates at the University of Puget Sound and vowed that they would live in the Northwest someday. We are glad they did!

2009-09-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

Dean Mack – Executive Director of Business Services and Human Resources

Job Description: Dean manages MISD Finances, Human Resources, Maintenance, Transportation, Food Services, Construction as well as Bonds and Levies. He is new to the district as of July 2009 and has more than 30 years of management expertise in public school systems. He comes to us from the Issaquah School District, where he worked for 10 years.

Location: Central Office

Typical Day: Dean often starts his day at 6:30 am, using the quiet time to respond to email. This week he is spending a lot of time with the installation of a new field turf for the high school stadium. He typically meets with the construction management team, and then goes to visit with Keith Ellis, Maintenance, or Todd Kelsay, Transportation. He works with the City of Mercer Island concerning inter-local agreements for the South Mercer fields or the High School stadium. He handles enrollment and staffing issues for the schools and “a million little things” every day. It is Dean’s job to know all of the facilities in the district and work with the facilities planning team and building staff on long-term facility planning and maintenance of our buildings.

Best part of the job: “I love all of my job, but the best part is working with people to solve problems.”

Years worked in the district: Just started.

Something people may not know: MISD has a 40 million dollar operating budget and holds 4% in reserve to cover the highs and lows in cash flow over the year. We are one of the few districts in the state with a AA bond rating.

Outside interests: Dean enjoys spending time with his 5 year-old grandson and golfing, although he says he isn’t very good. He also likes visiting the many interesting communities around Puget Sound.

Erin Anderson – Payroll Coordinator, District Administration

2009-09-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

Job Description: Erin is MISD’s new Payroll Coordinator, taking over for Dianne Hoelscher, who is retiring on September 30. Erin is responsible for making sure everyone gets paid! Plus, she handles insurance and benefits, IRS reporting, COBRA insurance, Labor & Industries, unemployment and more. Working with the Department of Retirement systems is one of her main job duties.

Location: Central Office

Typical Day: Erin begins her day checking email and voice mails to respond to employee questions about salary and benefits. Then she processes time sheets and continues to work on the complete implementation of sub on-line. September is a particularly busy month in Payroll because of all the changes in employee contracts.

Best part of the job: “I love working with people and helping our employees with their questions and concerns.”

Something people may not know: According to Dianne Hoelscher, “Since we are a small district, the Payroll Coordinator must stay current on all the rules and regulations involved in insurance and benefits, L&I, IRS etc. Bigger districts have a person for each one of those functions.”

Years worked in the district: Just started.

Outside interests: Erin has just moved to Issaquah from Lewiston, Idaho. She and her husband Chris are looking forward to boating and taking advantage of the shopping and entertainment available in the big city.