My mission as a teacher is to teach the whole child. I will strive to meet the emotional, intellectual, and physical needs of every student. My tools for teaching will be empathy, compassion, kindness, active listening, positive encouragement, and respect. With these tools in hand, my goal is to empower students with courage to learn new things, believe in themselves, value learning, set and meet goals, and achieve their highest academic potential. I will value each student's individuality and explore each student's strengths and talents to help them become the best they can be. I love to teach, to open minds, and give each child a safe, fun, exciting place to learn. When I am not in school, I like to travel, play golf, work out, watch football, and spend time with my family, doggies, and friends.