From the Principal 

I began my teaching career as a high school French teacher and quickly realized that I was meant to work with younger students. In 2010, I began as a short-term sub at Normandale and then a long-term sub at St. Paul's French Immersion. When I saw the energy, positivity, youthfulness and excitement for all things Francophone in the elementary French immersion setting, I knew I had found my home. I then went back to school to complete my K-6 Licensure at Hamline University. Before coming to Normandale this year, I taught kindergarten, second, third, and fourth grade, and worked as a Media & Technology Coordinator, Gifted and Talented Assistant and Drama Director. In all my capacities, third grade was always my favorite! Third graders are inquisitive, full of passion, caring, responsible and highly engaged in what they do. I couldn't be more thrilled to join the Third Grade Team at Normandale!

I graduated with a degree in French Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where I sang for three years in the Concordia Choir. I've always been most passionate about French and music and love to find ways to incorporate them in everything I do. While attending Concordia, I became familiar with the Concordia Language Villages and Lac du Bois (French immersion language camp). Since 2004, I've worked up there for their weekend programs during the school year as well as four amazing summers in the northern Minnesota woods. This last summer, I returned to CLV's "Les Voyageurs" wilderness adventure program to teach French in their credit program (with my classroom deep in the Boundary Waters and Voyageur National Park). It's through these immersion settings that kids make the most incredible progress in their language. I've met Normandale and CLV alumni and am always impressed with their fluidity, comprehension and comfort expressing themselves in French.

In 2009, I spent a year in Alsace, France teaching English. I worked at École Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a choral arts school in Colmar, France. It was a treat to work with boys trained in singing as they were the most well-behaved and respectful students I've ever had! I also served as a translator for the French teachers of a European School Partnership, "Comenius." Seven countries participated in an exchange of culture, language knowledge and sharing about what schools are like in each of their different countries. This was part of an initiative to build a stronger, more unified Europe.

In the summer, you'll either find me at Concordia Language Villages or lifeguarding or teaching swimming on a waterfront. I've always loved the water, swimming, teaching swimming and working and playing outdoors. When I'm not working, I enjoy spending time gardening my vegetables and herbs in the backyard, playing with my dogs, Wally and Yoda, swimming, skiing, singing in my church choir, and cooking and eating delicious food with my husband (he's a chef).

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