Middle School

Interests: A walk in a wild place, music, art…. a life poetic mixed with some european futbol!
Things that make me smile: the aha! moments
Educational Philosophy:  Socrates: “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”,  Confucius: “Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.” ,  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”   
Favorite Part of My Job: It seems to go without saying, I love working with young people.
My Hero: yo-yo ma (today, anyway)
What I value Most: Thoughtfulness, honesty, joy

Interests: Video games, anime, volleyball, learning languages, mathematics, cooking, ballroom dancing.
Things that make me smile: Flowers, coffee, trips to Target, good food, sleeping.
Educational Philosophy: The difference between a novice and a master is that a master has failed more times than the novice has tried.”
Favorite Part of my job: Making life-lasting relationships with my students and the community.
My Hero: My father.
What I value Most: My loved ones, my time, my mental wellbeing.

Interests: I love to explore new places with my family, read, and spend time in nature. I also enjoy baking, crafting, exercising, and I aspire to play a musical instrument.
Things that make me smile: I love listening to the ideas of young, creative, and imaginative minds. I enjoy being in the presence of good company, warm cups of tea, and bird watching.
Favorite Part of My Job: Everyday there is something new to be learned.
My Hero: My mom.
What I value Most: I value sincerity, kindness, and friendship. I value time spent with others, and my community.

Interests: Writing, reading, painting, drawing, traveling to beautiful places, history, cooking large quantities of food, tennis, thrifting, classical philosophy, my first grandchild (arriving in April), and making the world a better place.
Things that make me smile: Emily Dickenson poems, Paintings in the Musée D’Orsay, Watching baseball in the spring, Navajo tacos at the State Fair, Alexander Calder mobiles, Carne adovada at Mary and Tito’s, Being a NYT Queen Bee occasionally, Luminaria on Christmas Eve, Two roads diverging in a yellow wood, Building sand castles on the beach, Hot air balloons in the fall, A green chile cheeseburger at Santa Fe Bite, Old Volkswagen Bugs, Pastries at Burque Bakehouse, Long treatises on ancient philosophy, Happy adventures with my family.
Favorite part of my job: Teaching funny, wonderful, brilliant students about literature, history, logic, geography, thoughtful writing, critical inquiry, and the value of being citizens of the world.
My hero: My mom.
What I value most: My family, my religion, my formal education, my friends, and the often-difficult lessons I’ve learned in life.

Interests: I absolutely love nature, the mountains, hiking, camping, exploring off-road trails and overlanding, the beach, stargazing, cooking, gardening, playing the guitar, concerts, science, arts and crafts, all things Star Wars, building things, fixing things, aviation, traveling, SUP.
Things that make me smile: My daughter, random acts of kindness. the smell of pine trees in the mountains, Stick Figure, catching every green light on the way to work, sunsets, sunrises
Favorite part of my job: Helping all students be successful. Learning something new every day, working hard to make a difference in my communities, helping my colleagues be successful, watching students being creative while figuring things out on their own, and helping each other.
My hero: Mom & Dad
What I value most: I value family, my daughter, honesty, character, integrity, kindness, love, friendship, respect, humility, sense of community, helping others.