I never saw myself in Teaching and Learning. I knew I eventually wanted to go into leadership but I love the curriculum world and I love teaching reading. I love having kids learn how to read. What better way to affect more children in their learning ability than to be in Teaching and Learning.
What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
Spend time with family. I’ve got two twin daughters, they’re 3, and I have a little boy who just turned 2. That in itself is large but I have three older stepchildren as well. They’re absolutely phenomenal. I couldn’t ask to be part of a better family. They welcomed me with open arms and they love their siblings. I’m fortunate.
What is it like being a mother to twins?
So, once you get over the initial shock, the first year I don’t really remember. It was a whirlwind. Then once you get past that first year, it’s phenomenal to see two little people that are best friends and love each other. And it’s really interesting to see their two personalities because they are completely different even though they’ve been raised the same way with the same parents in the same environment.
What else would you want people to know about you?
Running is a big part of my life. I played sports: I played soccer and I swam and played basketball. I really hated running when I had to do it. I feel like after college I needed that outlet. I still had that competitive nature and if you don’t have that outlet it’s not safe for anybody around me. One of my former coworkers at Luxford, he was a runner and he got me into running and then it just snowballed into doing half marathons. I don’t know. It’s just…it’s my stress relief. It’s how I think. I try to run first thing in the morning before anyone is awake. It’s about 4 a.m. It’s early, which means I’m in bed by 8:30 p.m.
And I just recently was notified that I became part of the PR Crew – public relations – for J&A Racing. It’s volunteer but it’s really to help build awareness of the J&A Foundation. They provide scholarships for Title I students to attend the Shamrock Final Mile. Last year they covered eight schools in Virginia Beach. Next year they’re hoping to get all of the elementary Title I schools. So they’re going to sponsor 50 kids from each school. They’re going to give each one of those students running shoes. I taught in Title I schools and I was doing Girls on the Run and running clubs, and a lot of times, they don’t come to schools wearing appropriate shoes to run in. And they also pay for the bus transportation. It’s a phenomenal foundation. Some people don’t understand if they sign up for a race they are not just doing it for themselves but they are helping to provide access to students who may not have access to running.
#WeAreVBSchools
