Cowan Elementary

Kelli Geen is an ESL prekindergarten teacher where she teaches Pre-K and PPCD (Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities) students in an inclusion setting.  She earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Southwest Texas State University in elementary and early childhood education and began teaching in 1987. 

 Kelli has taught kindergarten, first grade and now has fallen in love with working with prekindergarten children.   She has been active throughout her career with a variety of new learning initiatives.   Most recently she participated in the Texas Early Education Model (TEEM) project, which focus on using the most effective strategies for teaching literacy skills to young children.  Kelli became Texas Readiness Certified through the TEEM project and is now thrilled to be a teacher-researcher with the BLOCKS program.  She hosts student interns from UT each semester was also selected as “Teacher of the Year” for her campus and as a finalist for “Teacher of the Year” for the district in 1998.

Kelli lives in Austin with her wonderful husband, Jeff and her 11 year old daughter, Lilli.  She stays busy outside of the classroom being involved in her daughter’s Girl Scout troop as an assistant leader and volunteers with the Shady Hollow Stingray Swim Team.

Mrs. Geen’s webpage can be found at http://www.austinisd.org/schools/website.phtml?id=059

 

 

Linder Elementary

Gerald Murray received a B.A. with Honors from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Trinity University, and a Master of Education degree from Southwest Texas State University (SWTSU). He has been a teacher since 2001, and has taught Pre-K for over seven years.

 Gerald joined the U.S. Air Force after high school as a way to serve his country and to fund his education. He was a Nuclear Weapons Specialist stationed in Abilene, Texas, and at a remote site in Turkey. After serving 4 years, he attended the University of Texas, with a major in psychology. He then went to San Antonio for a Master’s from Trinity. He worked as a child and family therapist and psychometrist, providing individual, group and family therapy and performing psychological assessments. When his second daughter was born, he rearranged his priorities and became a full-time father. After the birth of a 3^rd daughter he became interested in education from his work as a volunteer in his daughters’ schools, and when it came time to re-enter the work force, he attended SWTSU for the Certification and Master’s Program (C.A.M.P.). He taught 2^nd grade at a charter school, then was a long-term substitute in Pre-K at Linder Elementary in Austin before getting his own prekindergarten classroom.

Gerald has always been interested in science, and his hobbies include astronomy and meteorology. He is a private pilot, with over 1000 hours flight time and single-engine, multi-engine, glider and instrument ratings.

 

 

Lucy Read Prekindergarten Demonstration School

Montserrat Garibay is a bilingual teacher who earned a double major in Bilingual Education and Spanish Language Teaching from the University of Texas at Austin.  She has been a teacher for the past 6 years.  Montserrat is originally from Mexico City and has resided in the United States for the past 18 years.

 As a scholarship recipient of the Texas Education Agency Study Abroad Program, she attended the Complutense University in Madrid, Spain, where she studied children’s literature.
For the past two years, she has presented multiple workshops at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST) and Texas Association for Bilingual Educators TABE in the areas of Literacy, Writing and Science.

She was selected as “Teacher of the Year” for her campus on 2008 and is Texas Readiness Certified with the Texas Early Education Model (TEEM) project. She is also an avid advocate of higher education for immigrant students. She is part of the executive board of the University Leadership Initiative and is an active member of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Education Austin.

Miss. Garibay’s website is http://mgaribay.pbworks.com/

 

                                                                                   

Sandy Martinez is currently a prekindergarten bilingual teacher.  She has a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, from Texas State University, and is currently working on her Masters in Elementary Education.

 
Sandy has presented at the National Association for the Education of Young Children NAEYC, Texas Association for Bilingual Educators TABE, Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching CAST and Frog Street Press Summer Splash Conference, focusing her presentations on literacy, science and bilingual education.

Sandy is also a district trainer for Austin Independent School District in Bilingual Education, Science and Early Childhood Education. She was the recipient of the Teacher of the Year award on her campus in 2008. She is Texas School Ready Certified through the Texas State Center for Early Childhood Development and is an advocate for developmentally appropriate practices in Early Childhood Education.

Ms. Martinez’s website can be found at http://missmartinez.pbworks.com/

 

 

Mathews Elementary

 

Diana McMillan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thelma Herrera is a bilingual prekindergarten teacher.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Texas.  Thelma worked with an Early Childhood Intervention Program providing bilingual services to special needs children, birth to three, in their home. After five years, she transitioned to the Austin Independent School District and continued to work with special needs students ages three to five.  Thelma is certified in Early Childhood, Bilingual and Special Education.  She earned her National Board Certification for Teachers in 2008.  In the fall of 2009, Thelma enrolled at Texas State University and is pursuing her Master’s of Education with a specialization in Math, Science and Technology.  Since 2004, she has enjoyed working with her multi-cultural bilingual pre-k classroom. Thelma resides in Austin with her husband Steve and two teenage daughters, Laura and Monica. 

 

Mills Elementary

 

Cheryl Wootton is an English as a Second Language prekindergarten teacher.  Her classroom often consists of children who speak more than eight different languages with varying degrees of fluency.  Cheryl has a Bachelor’s of Science in Education degree from the University of Texas at Austin with endorsements in Early Childhood and English as a Second Language.  Cheryl recently received her National Board Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist and serves as a mentor to others who are pursuing this certification.  In 2007, her peers honored her at her elementary campus as “Teacher of the Year.” Cheryl enjoys sharing her knowledge of young children with others in her district through workshops and staff development trainings. 

She lives in Austin with her husband, two children, and numerous pets.  When she is not teaching, Cheryl enjoys reading, camping with her family, and watching her two children participate in various extra-curricular activities.  Cheryl carries on a family tradition of teaching:  she is a fourth generation teacher and is proud to report that her daughter is also interested in pursuing a career in early childhood education.

 

Overton Elementary

 

Joy A. Moore is single and her daughter, Aleia Sydney Moore (22 years old), is her only child. She graduated in 1978 from the high school of Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas, where she was born. She moved to New York City to pursue a singing career, and sang professional jazz for 15 years. She moved back to Texas when her daughter was 4 years old (1991) and worked for Girl Scouts Lone Star Council for 8 years as a program manager while singing in the R&B band, Hot Wax, for ten years. She started as a Parent Specialist for AISD and also worked in after school programs. She decided to go back to school (St. Edwards University) and get a Bachelor of Arts in sociology.

Joy continued her higher education and received her Masters in therapeutic counseling in 2005. Upon completion of the Masters she had hoped to become a Behavior Specialist with AISD, but after an interview where she learned she needed three years of teaching experience she earned her Teaching Certification from Huston Tillotson College, for Early Childhood through fourth grade general education (EC-4^th) and certification in Special Education EC-4th. She has worked for AISD for nine years in two different fields, Parent Support Specialist and Program Manager for After School Programs (starting in 2000) and presently, in her second year teaching. Joy loves teaching Prekindergarten and is excited about the innovative ideas of teaching students new concepts in science, math and the world around them.

 

           

Pecan Springs

 

Michelle Lester

           

Pickle Elementary

 

Susana Guzmán is a bilingual prekindergarten teacher. Born and raised in Mexico City, Ms. Guzman started her career as a broadcasting reporter in Mexico working for the national network Televisa. Soon, she was assigned to the investigative reporting department where she produced pieces on science and environment with emphasis on urban water and air pollution.

 For several years, Guzman participated in a variety of media, writing articles –such as a column about Women and Environment for a Mexican newspaper, editing the environmental section of a website, producing the health page of a magazine, covering news for Environmental News Network website, coordinating a radio program on environmental matters and coordinating trainings for environmental reporters.

In 2004 Susana Guzmán graduated from Michigan State University where she obtained a master’s degree in journalism mentored by Jim Detjen, director of the Knight Center for Environmental Reporting and founder of the Environmental Journalism Society. As a graduate student, Guzman wrote articles for the center, created a website on environmental reporting, created Pal-net, a list-serve of environmental reporters of Mexico and organized an international conference of environmental reporting in Mexico City (2003).

From 2004 to 2007 Guzman worked in Austin and San Antonio for Rumbo, a chain of Spanish language newspaper in Texas where wrote articles on health, education, Texas legislature and immigration issues.    

In 2007 Guzman transitioned from journalism to education by obtaining her teacher certification from Region 20 in San Antonio. For her, this change in her mid-career has not been as different as it might seem for many. Since the beginning, Guzman has believed in the power of communication as a mean to transform lives. Thus, media and classrooms are places with powerful opportunities to impact our society. Her passion and commitment to communicate science, environment and human issues remains the same. Her journey on sharing valuable messages to touch lives –students and families- has transferred to a higher level because seeing the world from the perspective of a four and five years old is priceless.

           

Sanchez Elementary

 

Barbara Wilson

 

Gail Laubenthal, M.Ed. has been an educator for over 40 years. She began as a high school science and physical education teacher and coach. After 9 years of teaching middle and high school students, she and her husband purchased a 500 student childcare center in Wichita Falls, Texas. They ran this school, built 2 others, and purchased 2 more centers over the next 13 years. During this time, Gail went back to Midwestern State University and received additional certifications in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, and English as a Second Language, all while teaching in her own Montessori school.

In 1992 they sold all of the schools and moved to California to help administer a small private early childhood center.  But after 2 years, she and her husband decided to move back Texas – where she accepted a kindergarten teaching position. She received her Masters in Educational Administration in 2002 and spent 8 years as an Assistant Principal with Austin ISD.

In 2008 Gail returned to the classroom as a prekindergarten teacher. During her fifteen years with AISD, Gail has helped teach, train, and support teachers in the areas of technology and science. She has written and received many grants to fund environmental education projects, written articles for professional journals, and presented at local, state and national educational conferences.  She has many hobbies, including nature photography and poetry. She looks forward to her annual summer camping trips with her husband, seeking out unusual and close-up shots of nature and writing the poetry it inspires.

 

Sunset Valley Elementary

 

Crystal Young is currently a prekindergarten teacher, where she team teaches in a full inclusion program with children with special needs.  She received her Bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education (Prek-6^th) in 1990 from The University of North Texas in Denton, Texas.   Upon graduation, she taught two years of Kindergarten in Dallas I.S.D. and one year in a private Pre-K program in Garland, Texas.  After moving back to Austin and taking some time off to be with her son, Crystal returned to teaching.  She has been a teacher for Austin I.S.D. for thirteen years teaching either Kindergarten or Pre-K.  She is excited to be a part of such a great program that will change the way we look at science with four year olds and to become better at science herself.

 

Widen Elementary

 

Shawna Haynes has been a bilingual teacher in Southeast Austin for three years. She has a degree in Spanish and Anthropology from Western Oregon University. Before becoming a Pre-K teacher in Austin she worked as a translator, in social services, and as a high school ESL teacher.

Shawna was born and raised on the Oregon coast, but spent her junior year of high school as an exchange student in San Cristobal, Venezuela, a city in the Andes on the border of Colombia. It was there that she learned Spanish, and also how to travel independently and confidently, a skill that has led her in many directions throughout life. 

A college archeology excursion led Shawna to Guatemala, and a trip to Central America that ended in Oaxaca, Mexico. She lived there for 5 years and worked as an English teacher, and at a cooking school.  After moving to Austin she decided to return to teaching and immediately loved teaching Pre-K. Shawna has always had a love for science and the natural world, which she integrates into her classroom as much as possible. She believes that if we base teaching of all content on science children will learn reasoning skills, critical thinking skills, and a deep understanding and appreciation of the world around them.

 

Wooten Elementary

Judith Burton

 

 

Delco Primary

 

Janie Rodriguez has been a prekindergarten bilingual teacher for 7 years.  She has worked for two different school districts in which she has learned an abundance that has made her a better educator.  She loves the fact that she has been blessed with a gift to teach that allows her to pass along knowledge and the love of learning to students.

 Janie received a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas- Pan American in Edinburgh, Texas. She is certified in Bilingual and Early Childhood education.  She is an advocate for bilingual education because she believes that students need to understand, use, and appreciate the culture of their primary language before they can comprehend a second language.

Janie represented her current school when being nominated as teacher of the year for 2008/2009 school year. This award has opened many doors for Janie allowing her to meet new educators and work towards one common goal, our students!

 

River Oaks Elementary

 

Sandi Castro, MEd, is a Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) Teacher. Sandi is from San Antonio, Texas and graduated with a Bachelors degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. While working as a Prekindergarten and Infant and Toddler Teacher with Hays and Travis Co. Head Start and Early Head Start, Sandi completed her Masters degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Special Education at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

After obtaining her master’s degree Sandi worked as a Disabilities Resource Teacher for Travis Co. Head Start. As a Disabilities Resource Teacher, Sandi collaborated with local school districts and Early Childhood Intervention providers throughout Travis Co. advocating for the education and needed services for homeless children and children with special needs. Sandi has also worked as a part-time diagnostician and administrative assistant for Sylvan Learning for 6 years. Sandi has state of Texas teaching certificates in Early Childhood Education (EC-4), Special Education (EC-12), and English as a Second Language (EC-12); this is Sandi’s seventh year of teaching.  Currently, Sandi is completing course work to obtain her diagnostician certification at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

 

 

Anderson Mill Elementary International Baccalaureate (IB) World School

 

Lisa Adams has taught Prekindergarten at Anderson Mill Elementary for 20 years and finds great joy in it.  Lisa graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Hearing and Speech Therapy.  After starting a family and raising three beautiful daughters, she received her K-8 teaching certification at Southwestern University.  Before teaching Pre-K, Lisa tested pre school children for speech and hearing, and she taught kids on movie sets.  Lisa also was involved in various outdoor jobs such as teaching swimming lessons and working at camps.  She loves sharing and exploring nature with young children.  Activities she loves include facilitating language development and learning in four year olds through play, reading great literature, and engaging in meaningful hands on work with natural and tactile materials.

 Lisa lives in an old Victorian house with her husband, Joe, her dog, Bud, and her cat, Charley.  She loves to hike in the mountains, swim in natural bodies of water, practice yoga, scuba dive and travel to interesting places, meeting people from all walks of life and different cultures.

 

 

Wells Branch Elementary

 

Danielle Clayton is a prekindergarten teacher. This is her tenth year of teaching.  She has also taught kindergarten but has found her home in pre-k for the last eight years.  Danielle has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Business.  Prior to teaching, she was an accountant and mom.  Upon deciding to become a teacher, she received her certification through an alternative certification program with Region XIII of Texas. Presently, she is attending Texas State to obtain her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. 

 

Brodie Lane

 

Sonya Johnson is a head start teacher with Child Inc. She has been teaching for 16 yrs, 11 of those years have been with pre-k age children. She has a Child Development Associate Degree; Teacher’s Certificate, attends online classes at Grand Canyon University, and is in the last semester of achieving her BA and teaching certification--Early Childhood to Grade 8. Her optimum goal is to continue school and work diligently toward a Masters. Sonya really enjoys sharing with others the knowledge that she obtains from workshops and trainings. Sonya has participated in the Texas Early Education Model (TEEM) and is now enjoying being a part of the Building Base Line Objectives for Children’s Knowledge & Skills for Science (BLOCKS) program.

 

Grant

 

 Suzanne Offer

 

 

Kids R Kids

 

Crystal Montoya was born and raised in Texas. She is happily married with 3 children, and currently is the Coordinator of the Pre-K Department. She has taught in the Early Childhood Field for 9 years. She earned an Associates Degree in Child Development, furthering her career as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. In the past three years she has participated in the district area Teacher Collaborative Program.  She was named “Teacher of the Year” at a previous school for the 2002-2003 school year. All together, she works, as a member of a team with others creating an environment that is enjoyable, effective, and rewarding. In her free time she enjoys “bargain” shopping! 

 

Escuela Montessori de Montopolis

 

Emilie Haas

 

Westlake Presbyterian Preschool

 

Rebecca Bryant

 

University of Texas Elementary

 

Marcia Molinar

 

 

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