This was exactly the kind of education my husband, Dan, and I wanted for our children.   Our children now have the opportunity to engage in the fascinating Core Knowledge curriculum the Classical School provides:  its rich literature, exciting history, integrated world geography, and thought-provoking science.  They also learn Spanish on a daily basis, beginning in kindergarten.   With the Direct Instruction teaching method, our children are truly challenged according to their abilities in spelling and reading.

Over the next two years, I attended many start-up meetings and watched the vision  of Classical School become a wonderful reality.  In the Spring of 1999, I  visited another Core Knowledge charter school and was impressed with the Core Knowledge curriculum and SRA Direct Instruction reading program that I observed.   It was equally exciting to see and hear the intense enthusiasm both the teachers and students had for their school.  What a fantastic day it was when we actually began placement testing for all of our “own”  charter school students.

I was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin.   My family must really like Wisconsin weather (or the Green Bay Packers!), because each of my brothers and their families still live in the state too.  Needless to say, family get-togethers at my parents’ house (there are 24 grandchildren) are amazing events.

Because I have five brothers (and no sisters!),  I was very active in sports as a child. My grade school baseball team won the Appleton City Championship three years in a row!  I played third base.   Each year we played  the championship game at Goodland Field and during the game members of the Appleton Foxes baseball team sat in our dugout  and cheered for us.   Of course,  all of this happened when chariots were the main form of transportation and the current members of the  Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were not yet born!    In middle school (Madison Junior High School)  and high school (Appleton East)  I played on the volleyball, basketball, and softball teams and I ran track.  Summer vacations were spent at my grandmother’s cottage, which was in the Shawano area.   I loved swimming and water skiing.   I left the fishing to my brothers.

Even as a I child I loved to read.   When I was in fourth grade, a friend and I attempted to read all the books that had received Newbery Awards.  Well, maybe we were a little naive, but I  remember that we made quite a dent in that long list!   I have fond memories of my dad testing my spelling by using words that he would glean from the evening newspaper.    My brothers and I loved this fun competition.  I also love math -- particularly algebra.

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BS in Elementary Education.   My certification is K-8 and my area of concentration is in math and computer science.  I married my husband, Dan, in 1987 while he was in graduate school earning his MBA at UW-Madison.  He currently works for Kimberly-Clark Corporation in MIS.

During the pre-Mom stage of my life, I had the opportunity to work in a variety of jobs.  One interesting position was with Astronautics Technology Center in Madison, WI .  While working as a marketing assistant for the super-computer department,  the aerospace engineers recruited me to help test out new technology they were developing for a new prototype of the “space glove” that was actually to be used by astronauts.  I honestly don’t know how astronauts can complete any intricate tasks while wearing those bulky gloves!

All four of my children are attending or have graduated from Classical  School.  I am excited and honored to be a part of the Classical School, both as an involved parent and as a member of its staff.  I look forward to the school’s continued growth and development.  Classical truly provides a wonderful  educational opportunity for our children and for our school community.