My career at St. Mary's started 15 years ago as the sixth grade teacher.  Teaching at that grade level for 11 years afforded me the opportunity to challenge and perfect my teaching abilitites in all subject areas, but most directly as a language arts specialist.  I was fortunate to have had this upper elementary/middle school teaching experience.  However, as many teachers do, I found myself stagnating.  An opportunity to teach primary came my way in the spring of 2006.  Kindergarten would seem to be a sixth grade teacher's last choice, but I leaped at the chance to get "back to the basics" and see learning at the earliest stage.  I was able to further my education by taking a 5-credit kindergarten methods course at Bemidji State.  While I feel like a first-year teacher again, I am happy that I made the move.

On a more personal note, I have been married to my husband Lauren for 13 years.  We met on a blind date.  Interestingly, we were both new teachers in Long Prairie!  We are proud parents of Abbey, age 10 and Evan, age 5.  Calling Long Prairie home is something neither one of us dreamed we would ever have done, but we are very fortunate to be here.