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.

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!”

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.

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!”

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.”

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.

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.