The Creative Nucleus

I began my teaching career in 2011 as a long-term substitute for Denver Public Schools, where I got my first real taste of the classroom before completing my M.Ed. at Regis University in 2012. My student teaching was in 7th grade science, I taught a semester of 8th grade science, and I've been a full-time 6th grade science teacher at my current school since 2013 — same classroom, same commitment, deeper every year. Beyond teaching, I've taken on a wide range of roles within my building: content coach, grade level team lead, tutor, athletic coach, and club and affinity group sponsor. I currently serve as my school's building science coordinator (going on five years), my teachers' association building representative, and one of only 15 mentor teachers selected district-wide for the Aspiring Educator Pathway program — now in its third year. Curriculum development, instructional coaching, and a deep belief in teacher growth have shaped as much of my career as the classroom itself.

My teaching style has been refined over more than a decade in the same building, with the same community — and that consistency has taught me a lot. I lead with relationships first. Students who feel known, seen, and respected learn better; it's that simple, and the research backs it up. I design lessons and materials that are structured enough to support struggling learners and open enough to challenge those who are ready to go further. I rely heavily on writing frameworks like CER's, real-world science connections, and SEL-integrated routines that build classroom culture alongside content knowledge. Whether I'm in front of students or supporting a new teacher, my goal is always the same: create conditions where growth feels possible!

Being selected as one of 15 district mentor teachers for the Aspiring Educator Pathway program — and continuing into a third year — is one of the recognitions I'm most proud of, because it reflects trust from my peers and district leadership in my ability to shape the next generation of teachers. Serving as the building science coordinator has put me in a position to influence curriculum and instruction across my school, not just my own classroom. But the moments that stay with me are smaller: a 6th grader who finally cracked a scientific explanation, a student-athlete who found confidence through coaching, a first-year teacher who sent a message months later saying a conversation we had changed how they approached their classroom. Those are the ones I carry.

Becoming a teacher was a career change for me. I received my B.S. in 1993 in Biological Science/Chemistry, but never really felt that I was putting my education and background to good use. So, in 2010 I started my master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction. I earned my Master of Education from Regis University in 2012, with a foundation built in secondary science education. My path into teaching wasn't a straight line — I came in through long-term substituting with Denver Public Schools, which meant I had to earn the classroom before I ever officially had one. That experience shaped how I think about teaching: nothing about it is given, all of it has to be built. I student taught 7th grade science, spent time with 8th graders, and landed in 6th grade in 2013, where I've been ever since. I believe the best educators are lifelong learners, and every role I've taken on — coach, mentor, coordinator, building rep — has made me a better teacher and a more useful resource for the educators around me.