I’m so excited to be joining the staff of Cherry Creek Academy as a Gifted Learning Teacher this year!  I grew up in Ontario, Canada, earned a B.F.A. from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, then came to the U.S. to complete an M.F.A. at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  My husband and I had been visiting Colorado frequently because he was raised in Boulder and has family in the area.  We loved the sunshine, outdoorsy lifestyle and friendly people here.  We dreamed of living in Colorado for a while, then finally made the move in 1997.  When our son Elijah was ready for kindergarten, he became a student at CCA.

After college, my background in visual arts and love of learning naturally segued into teaching, designing, and administrative work for museums and non-profit art centers, where I combined art activities with subjects like history, language arts, and math.   As time went on, I began to specialize in synthesizing different media and subject areas.  After a period of working primarily as a self-employed artist for galleries and art consultants, I decided to return full-time to education and earned my Colorado Teaching License in 2015.  I currently have endorsements in Elementary Education, Visual Art, Special Education, Gifted/ Talented Education, and Technology Education (7-12.)

Since earning my teaching license, I’ve worked as both a Visual Arts and Gifted Learning Teacher in public schools, most recently at Polton Elementary School in the Cherry Creek School District. As a GT teacher at Polton, I focused on creative, engaging instruction and the development of individual student autonomy through choice-based learning.  I love to use inquiry-based learning techniques, STEM, the Autonomous Learner Model, and programs with community partners to build excitement and engage students.  

My goal for my students at Cherry Creek Academy is to encourage thoughtful discourse, critical thinking, creativity, and joy in learning, particularly as it relates to personal interests and passion topics.  I look forward to joining the staff at CCA and thank you all for the warm welcome I’ve already received.  It’s an honor to be joining such a strong community dedicated to teaching and learning!