Blue Umbrella October 2023 | Page 6

pursue teaching .
Q . Have you alw ays enjoyed t eaching , or did t hat becom e an int erest lat er in life ?
A . My husband encouraged me to try teaching when I decided to leave the Zoo . A local middle school principal decided to give me a chance and hired me to begin teaching despite my lack of education-based courses . I began my Master ' s coursework at that time and was able to get my certificate while teaching .
Q . How did you find out about Ignit e Christ ian Academ y , and w hat caused you t o apply for a posit ion here ?
A . Another mom from my son ? s soccer team works for the company Imagine Learning . She encouraged me to apply to the company . When I did so , I noticed a position from Ignite Christian Academy . I thought it was too good to be true , as I love God and wanted to have an online teaching position .
I remember that in my interview , I just could tell this was an amazing school and I wanted to be part of the faculty . I wasn ? t wrong , either ! It is an amazing school and I am so lucky to teach here among so many godly men and women who are passionate about Christian education .
Q . What subject s do you t each ?
A . I teach most of the science elective courses . These are the really fun sciences ! Environmental Sciences , Introduction to Forensics , Introduction to Agriculture , Animal
Systems , Nursing , STEM , etc . I also teach Integrated Physics and Chemistry this year . In the past , I have also taught Biology , P . E ., and Health .
Q . Do you have a fam ily or pet s ?
A . My husband and I have been married for 22 years . We have 4 kids from 7 to 17 . We are also a learn-at-home family , so as both a teacher and a parent , I understand all the benefits and challenges that my students face . We also have 2 dogs ? a golden retriever and an English Setter , 3 cats , and a few fish .
Q . When you aren ? t t eaching , w hat do you like t o do ? What is an unusual hobby you have ?
A . I have been a beekeeper until very recently . Unfortunately , I have developed an anaphylactic reaction to the bee venom , and we won ? t be able to have them on our property anymore . I also really enjoy gardening , baking , cooking , and exploring the world with my kids .
Q . Do you play any inst rum ent s or sport s ?
A . I am the only non-musically talented person in our 6-person family , haha ! I like to ride bikes and swim but I am not competitive .
Q . What is your favorit e sw eet t reat ?
A . Oh , that is a hard one . Maybe homemade chocolate ice cream ?
Q . Your st aff bio m ent ions t hat you have been t o all 50 st at es . What is t he m ost
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