Hello! My name is Kristin. I became a teacher because I believe in education as a pathway to social justice...and kids and young adults fascinate and delight me! The most rewarding part of my job is buiIding relationships with kids and their families. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Social Science from James Madison University and a Master's Degree in Special Education from UNC. I have a Transition Specialist Certificate through UNC, and I have taken many courses on mindfulness in schools, antiracist leadership, decolonization, gender and ethnic studies, regulating the nervous system, and trauma attuned teaching. I have taught at every level from elementary all the way up to GED classes since 1999 (with some breaks to raise my own children). I feel particularly passionate about teaching our youngest learners, which is why I am thrilled to be the K-5 Integrated Services Teacher at Polaris. At school, I love creating spaces where students can take risks, find their strengths, and enjoy the process of learning, even when it is difficult. All of this is based on relationships, and I work hard to create a classroom culture of mutual respect and safety.
Outside of school, I have so many loves. Being in nature, voraciously reading, lifting weights, live music, growing and cooking things, actual and armchair travel, playing with my hairless dogs, adventuring with my partner and teenagers (Polaris alumni), puttering around, and dreaming about my next beach vacation are just a few of the things you might find me doing in my free time.
“Education as the practice of freedom enables us to confront reality even as we imagine ways to move beyond it.”
-bell hooks