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.”