I was born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut. I obtained my bachelor’s in Human Development from Howard University before going on to get my Master in Elementary Education from Sacred Heart University. I’ve loved working with students ever since I basically was one! I’ve been a camp counselor, babysat, and tutored. Working with children and helping them foster a love of learning has always been my passion. I believe in fostering the whole child and that the social-emotional aspect of school is just as important as learning information.
I started my teaching career teaching grade 1 for Arlington Public Schools. Since starting at McLean School, I’ve had the opportunity to grow personally and professionally. I’m trained in Responsive Classroom, Orton-Gillingham, and executive functioning strategies. I’ve also had the opportunity to attend conferences such as the NASW and NAIS POCC.
While teaching at McLean, I’ve also expanded my passion for coordinating K-4 World Culture Day, as well as leading multiple professional development seminars on DEI work. I’m excited to continue this work by incorporating a DEI curriculum within the Lower School. The development of my DEI passion was fueled by recently obtaining my MSW in Social Work, which one of my students refers to as my “degree in feelings,” from Howard University. I aim to use this degree to continue my DEI work and further incorporate SEL practices into my classroom. A recent Social Work conference on the importance of incorporating diverse books in lower elementary classrooms was particularly powerful. I learned a lot about how children identify with race at a young age and how to talk about it in a way that’s developmentally appropriate.
I also have the great pleasure of being a wife and a dog mom! In my spare time, I love spending time with my family, traveling, writing, going for walks, and playing board games.