CLICK HERE for the longer versions of the answers in the (above) newspaper article.
I grew up in Columbus, Ohio with my parents and 5 older brothers and sisters. I spent my elementary years in a neighborhood full of other kids near Big Run Park. It was common for me to spend hours upon hours exploring the natural world around me. My parents believed in the power of learning through experiences as well as having a love of camping. By the time I was 10 years old, I had visited 48 states.
When I was 17, I got an after school job at a nearby child development center. Although I did not realize it at the time, I was fortunate that these first experiences in preschool were in a quality care program.
In high school, I loved taking road trips with friends to explore the Hocking Hills area.
I came to Athens in 1988 to attend Ohio University. At that time, early childhood education was a completely separate degree from elementary education. However due to my previous experiences in early childhood, I decided to spend an extra year in college to become certified to teach at the early childhood as well as the elementary level. When I graduated, my certificate indicated that I could teach children aged 6 weeks old through 8th grade.
I always had a love of Athens. I married my husband Sky Pettey, an Athens local, in 1994. That fall, I also started my first preschool teaching job at the then Plains Head Start. After 2 years, we decided to leave Athens (for awhile) so that my husband could further his education.
We lived in Columbus, Ohio for nearly 6 years. I worked for the South-Western City Schools district in their Head Start program as a center-manager. We had our first daughter in 2000. As we liked the idea of raising our children in Athens, we finally were able to return to this area in late 2001.
Upon returning, I initially worked for the Ohio University Child Development center as a preschool teacher. This was short-lived as I secured a job with Alexander to begin the school year 2002 (moving back into a 9 month contract vs. year round). At that time, I was a public preschool teacher. We had our second daughter in 2005.
Due to state budget cuts, my specific position was cut and I moved into 4th grade for the 2009-10 school year. At the end of my year in 4th grade, a position as an early childhood intervention specialist became open. As preschool had always been a good fit for me, I decided to return to school in order to become qualified to teach in this position. In 2010, I taught in a 3 year old only classroom. In 2011 due to a teacher retirement, I was able to transfer into the 4 year old integrated classroom. In 2016, the 3 year old only classroom was terminated, and now a wider age span is present in my current classroom. Mrs. Cheri, the classroom paraprofessional, started working with me in 2012 and we have made a great team ever since.
When I was 17, I got an after school job at a nearby child development center. Although I did not realize it at the time, I was fortunate that these first experiences in preschool were in a quality care program.
In high school, I loved taking road trips with friends to explore the Hocking Hills area.
I came to Athens in 1988 to attend Ohio University. At that time, early childhood education was a completely separate degree from elementary education. However due to my previous experiences in early childhood, I decided to spend an extra year in college to become certified to teach at the early childhood as well as the elementary level. When I graduated, my certificate indicated that I could teach children aged 6 weeks old through 8th grade.
I always had a love of Athens. I married my husband Sky Pettey, an Athens local, in 1994. That fall, I also started my first preschool teaching job at the then Plains Head Start. After 2 years, we decided to leave Athens (for awhile) so that my husband could further his education.
We lived in Columbus, Ohio for nearly 6 years. I worked for the South-Western City Schools district in their Head Start program as a center-manager. We had our first daughter in 2000. As we liked the idea of raising our children in Athens, we finally were able to return to this area in late 2001.
Upon returning, I initially worked for the Ohio University Child Development center as a preschool teacher. This was short-lived as I secured a job with Alexander to begin the school year 2002 (moving back into a 9 month contract vs. year round). At that time, I was a public preschool teacher. We had our second daughter in 2005.
Due to state budget cuts, my specific position was cut and I moved into 4th grade for the 2009-10 school year. At the end of my year in 4th grade, a position as an early childhood intervention specialist became open. As preschool had always been a good fit for me, I decided to return to school in order to become qualified to teach in this position. In 2010, I taught in a 3 year old only classroom. In 2011 due to a teacher retirement, I was able to transfer into the 4 year old integrated classroom. In 2016, the 3 year old only classroom was terminated, and now a wider age span is present in my current classroom. Mrs. Cheri, the classroom paraprofessional, started working with me in 2012 and we have made a great team ever since.