I have been teaching at Hazel Wolf since the fall of 2012! In that time, I have taught 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 5th grade. I am a National Boards certified teacher and have a Masters in Education from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California Davis. I love teaching elementary-aged students, and feel incredibly lucky to work at a school with values rooted in STEM education and environmental science. Caring for the environment is one of my passions in life, and I find it so rewarding to be in a position to teach young people to be stewards of their environment. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, live music, travel, & hiking.
I have taught in Seattle Schools since 2002 and have been at Hazel Wolf since the beginning of the program. I love my job! I can't imagine a better place to come to work every day.
I have been a 5th grade teacher at Hazel Wolf since 2015. I have taught all grades K-5 and 5th is my favorite! I love being a part of the 5th grade team and the Wolf Pack! Science is one of my favorite subjects to teach and I feel fortunate to be at an ESTEM focused school.
In my life outside of Hazel Wolf, I am mom of two amazing daughters, Emma and Lucy, who both attended Hazel Wolf. Emma recently graduated from Oregon State University, majoring in Marine Biology. Lucy is currently studying Criminology/Criminal Justice at Loyola University Chicago. My husband Will and I have lived in Maple Leaf for 25 years. I enjoy gardening, reading, attending live music, and traveling in my free time.
I grew up listening to the sound of my mother teaching piano in my living room. Every day after school, I knew I had to come in the back door quietly, sneak around the corner, and dash up the stairs to my room. I heard her patience and her persistence. I heard her firmly correct and redirect. Most importantly, I heard the joy she had at every little success. Ultimately, I think that joy is why I became a teacher.
My home was in Omaha, NE. In terms of school I learned math from nuns, how to question from Jesuits, and everything else from the giant public school downtown. I went on to study Television Engineering at the University of Nebraska at Omaha for a few semesters. Leaving that behind, I played music and travelled until school felt right. In 1992, I landed at the University of Southern California. I graduated with a major in Comparative Literature and Art History.
After working in theatre (sound design, acting, and administration) and photography, I met my wife in a book club here in Seattle. Kristin was (and is) a teacher. The stories she brought home were far more interesting than my work stories. Her joy reminded me of my mother’s, and it brought me full circle into teaching. I got my Masters degree from the University of Washington in 2006 and started teaching 4th and 5th grade at Coe Elementary. During all this, my family has grown to include two phenomenal daughters, Ruth and Iris.
