Before moving into Iola Elementary in August of 2022, our elementary schools transitioned to grade-level attendance centers within the Iola School District. I was given the opportunity to become the Library Media Specialist for kindergarten at McKinley Elementary and for first and second at Jefferson Elementary.  Mrs. Mona Melvin and Mrs. Mary Jo Dickerson, library paraprofessionals, help to create a place where children want to be.  Our library is very busy checking out over 50,000 books a year!  We are fortunate to have community members who read to students and help shelve all those books.  I have a range of professional duties and committees: Iola Reads, INEA Read Across America, PTO, and Evaluation Committee.

I started my teaching career at Jefferson Elementary.  In August of 1995, I was hired as a Title 1 Math Teacher; that position quickly changed to include Title 1 Reading.  It was here working with fellow Title 1 teacher, Sharon Whitworth, that I began my love of books and reading.  In those early days of my teaching career that Title 1 funding was not a guarantee.  So I decided to take a more secure teaching position in second grade.  I loved every minute in second grade.  Being able to watch children develop into readers and writers is what inspires me to teach.  Then the Board of Education changed the boundary lines to adjust for the changing population to the north.  This changed my second-grade position into a floating position.  After floating for two years, I decided to change to a permanent position at McKinley Elementary.  After one year at McKinley, a library media position at Lincoln Elementary was available.  Instilling the love of reading and of books all day, absolutely!  

• 2024 USD 257 Elementary Teacher of the Year
• 2022 Iola Elementary K-2 Library Media Specialist
• 2016 USD 257 Elementary Teacher of the Year
• 2015 Jefferson Elementary  (1st & 2nd Grade) & McKinley (Kindergarten) Library Media Specialist
• 2009 Lincoln Elementary (K-5) & McKinley (1st & 2nd Grade) Library Media Specialist
• 2005 USD 257 Elementary Teacher of the Year
• 2003 Lincoln Elementary (K-5) & LaHarpe (K-3) Library Media Specialist
• 2002 4th Grade at McKinley Elementary
• 2001 4th Grade at Jefferson Elementary
• 2000 3rd Grade at Jefferson Elementary
• 1998-2000 2nd Grade at Jefferson Elementary
• 1995-1998 Title 1 Math & Reading at Jefferson Elementary
• 1994-1995 Long-term sub in fourth grade at Jefferson Elementary
• Spring 1994 Student taught in sixth grade at Jefferson Elementary

My husband, John, and I have been married for thirty-three years.  We were married in June of 1991.  Shortly, thereafter, we bought an 1871 home.  After many years of renovation, our home was finally ready for children.  Addy was born in 2000.   She was a drummer and percussionist for the IHS and ACC band and now she is USD 257’s Elementary Music teacher for grades 3-5.   In 2007, Briley was born.  She is a junior at IHS.  She plays the saxophone in the IHS band.

Hobbies?  Do children count for this?  I enjoy being wherever my children are.

I also love trying to see many of the sights that are listed as an 8 Wonder of Kansas.  A few summers ago, my family had fun trying to see grass and rocks. We saw Mushroom State Park and Rock City and saw Coronado Heights on the way. We visited the Tallgrass Prairie National Park.  To continue our prairie grass and rocks quest we attempted to visit all the places that Laura Ingalls Wilder lived in the Midwest.  Our latest adventures have taken us outside of Kansas.  We’ve enjoyed going to these National Parks:  Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Sequoia, and many parks found in the southwestern part of the United States.  You, too, can travel to these places within the pages of the books found in our school library!