After graduating from UW-Oshkosh in 1997, I worked as a substitute teacher until I was hired by the Grafton School District in 1998. I taught math and literacy to sixth, seventh and eighth grade students at John Long Middle School. After my first year of teaching, I decided to get my master's degree in reading education at UW-Oshkosh and graduated in 2001. After six years teaching middle school,  I moved to Kennedy in 2004 to teach fourth grade and taught fourth grade until 2018. I now teach fifth grade and enjoy seeing students become middle school ready. I love watching young minds think through challenges, discuss stories and write creatively. They often inspire me to try new ways to tackle problems. My husband and I were married in 1999, and we have two children, Logan and Bryce. In my free time, I enjoy golfing, hiking in state parks, reading and crafting.