I am originally from Long Island, New York. I moved to Southern California in 1997 and started teaching in the Garden Grove Unified School District. There, I taught a fifth/sixth combination class for one year and Kindergarten for 3 years. I was hired at Hermosa Valley School in 2000. For 5 years I taught 5th grade at HVS and then decided to switch grade levels. I taught 2nd grade last year at Hermosa View and now I teach 2nd grade at Valley! This will be my 11th year of teaching.

I received my Bachelor's degree in Education at the New York State University at Fredonia and my Reading Specialist Masters degree at the California State University in Long Beach.

Aside from teaching, I have a variety of hobbies! Of course my favorite thing to do is to play with my daughter Samantha. She was born on December 2, 2005. I also have a yellow lab named Oscar. You will probably spot my husband and I walking him on the strand or greenbelt on the weekends. We walk him A LOT! Another love of mine is participating in triathlons. I've been trying to get back in shape after having a baby and it's challenging, but I enjoy swimming, cycling, and running to prepare for upcoming races.

It has been so much fun teaching at Hermosa Valley School! I love the staff as well as the students here and I feel so lucky to have a job that I enjoy waking up every morning to do! My favorite part about being a teacher is that every day is never the same and every student is unique and special in their own way.