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Hello, this portfolio represents my work over the last eighteen months in the Educational Leadership Program through The University of Kansas (KU) and Manhattan High School. My portfolio documents my coursework and internship in educational leadership. It is designed to demonstrate growth and competence in the KU Education Leadership Program and the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL).
My leadership philosophy has roots in my experiences as a student, an airman, a teacher, and a lifelong learner. To lead, it is essential that you understand your mission and your people. In the Air Force, the mission comes first and if there are time and resources, you take care of your people. In education, people are our mission. The focus of our mission changes based on the needs of our people.
As a leader, I serve as a guidepost for others as they work to carry out our mission. My guideposts are my core values: integrity, service, empathy, humility, and continual improvement. I believe that relationships are essential to building a functional school family where educators want to teach, classified employees want to work, and students want to learn. I believe that people inherently want to perform at their best and will do so when they are called to and supported. I also believe that a work-life, school-life balance is essential for continual growth. We are at our best when we give ourselves permission to experience life outside of our work because we bring that joy into our work.
About Me:
I currently serve as a special education teacher for students identified as gifted in grades 10-12 at Manhattan High School in Manhattan, KS. In this position, I work directly with students, their families and teachers to identify appropriate goals and ensure students receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) commensurate with their abilities.
I wear many hats in my district as I facilitate support for the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), provide opportunities for community building in our school as a member of the social committee, serve as the vice president for the Manhattan-Ogden KNEA, represent teachers on our district's medical advisory committee, internal communications committee, and negotiations committee. I am also the director of our night school program where students in need of credit recovery can continue to learn beyond the traditional school day.
I met my husband when we were both serving in the US Air Force. Together, we have lived in many places in the US and the United Kingdom and raised two sons.