Meet the Teachers and staff of TAE
Salado ISD Students return to class on Aug. 18. Students at Thomas Arnold Elementary will have several new teachers and staff members to greet them, including these:
Jerri Kay Boyd
Education and Certifications:Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin- Certification: Physical Education/Health & Special Education
Teaching Experience:20 years (Coaching, Athletic Administration & Adapted Physical Education)
Subjects and Grade Levels: Salado TAE, Special Education
Why a Teacher?: To have an opportunity to serve children, families & the community.
I am grateful for the direct path education allows to build relationships with kids and hopefully make a lasting, positive difference.
Extra-curricular activities: No
Robbie Gillen
Teacher’s Education and Certifications:Bachelor Degree in Exercise Sports Science
Teaching Experience: 3 years
Subjects and Grade Levels:Physical Education 3-5
Why a Teacher?: The reason I became a teacher was to be able to impact lives through education and coaching.
Extra-curricular activities: Football & Baseball
Jennifer James
Education and Certifications:Graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and an emphasis in math
Teaching Experience: 13 years teaching middle school math and elementary school
Subjects and Grade Levels:Teaching 5th grade math and science
Why a Teacher?: I became a teacher because of the positive experiences I had in school. I enjoyed learning and finding out more about things that interested me. I consider myself a lifelong learner and hope to instill that in the students that I teach. I am looking forward to engaging students and encouraging them to become confident, curious mathematicians and scientists.
Extra-curricular activities: None
Traci Hill
Education and Certifications: In process
Teaching Experience: Facilitator at Farmers Insurance, Sunday school
Subjects and Grade Levels: K-5, math, science, reading
Why a Teacher?: I love seeing the lights go on when kids learn something new. I love hearing their questions and how their minds are working. I also know that school is where they spend a majority of their time other than home, so I want to create a positive, nurturing, and fun environment for them to develop in.
Abbey Larremore
Education and CertificationsBachelor Degree of Interdisciplinary Studies (Early Childhood- 6th Grade)
Teaching Experience7 years classroom experience
Subjects and Grade Levels: 4th Grade ELAR and Social Studies
Why a Teacher?: I come from a family of educators, and I knew from a young age I wanted to be a teacher. I love working with children and as a teacher I get to model that learning is fun. My favorite time of the day is reading aloud to my class. Helping each student find that book they love makes every challenge worth it. I get to inspire my students to find their strengths and learn from mistakes. To me, this is the best job there is.
Extra-curricular activities: No
Leslie Lockett
Education and Certifications:Speech Language Pathologist MS/CCC-SLP
Teaching Experience: 14 years
Subjects and Grade Levels:Elementary ARD facilitator
Why a Teacher?: “I became a speech pathologist because I wanted to be able to help children be able to communicate effectively with all those they come in contact with. I enjoy working with children to help meet their maximum potential. This year I will be in a role of ARD facilitator and will run the IEP meetings at the elementary.”
Ashley Malmin
Education and CertificationsUniversity of Texas at Austin; EC-6 Generalist with an ESL Supplemental
Teaching Experience: 4 years
Subjects and Grade Levels: 2nd grade- All subjects
Why a Teacher?: My first memory of becoming interested in teaching took place in my kindergarten classroom in Spring, Texas. Each of us had been given a caterpillar to observe during our unit over life cycles, and all of my classmates’ cocooned caterpillars were beginning to hatch. Everyone’s butterflies looked beautiful, but mine had yet to move. At all.
Fast forward to the last day of school, and my caterpillar still hadn’t moved. At the end of the day, my teacher pulled me aside and “pinky promised” me she would watch over my caterpillar until the day it decided to hatch. I happily agreed and forgot all about my butterfly within a week. However, later that summer, a postcard arrived in the mail from my butterfly telling me that it was a “late bloomer,” and was off to find the rest of its butterfly friends from our class.
Years later I found out my caterpillar had actually died, but the moral of the story goes beyond that. Even after the school year was over and she gained a new set of kinder babies, my teacher persisted in making sure I felt included. Although I was too young to confidently decide which career path I wanted to take, something sparked inside of me that made me passionate about education and making a difference in children’s lives.
From my first day of kindergarten to graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, I realized my true passion and happiest memories were (and continue to be) created inside the classroom.
Extra-curricular activities: n/a
Colleen Mitchel
Education and Certifications:University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, EC-4 Education
Teaching Experience: 4 years EC-4, 6.5 years in higher education
Subjects and Grade Levels: TAE Computer lab
Why a Teacher?:I became a teacher to make a difference in the lives of students, contributing to the love and stability they need to thrive and succeed.
Extra-curricular activities:N/A
Lindsay Robeau
Education and Certifications:I graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelors in Agricultural Science. Certified in Elementary education, Agriculture Science and Technology
Teaching Experience: This will be my 4th year in Elementary Education, and my first year as a classroom teacher!
Subjects and Grade Levels: First Grade
Why a Teacher?:I became a teacher to make an impact in helping kids love to learning.
Extra-curricular activities: I teach faith formation at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church.
Aileen Ryan
Education and Certifications:Bachelors of science In interdisciplinary studies
Teaching Experience: Special Ed aide for 4 years, in self contained rooms.
Subjects and Grade Levels:ECSE
Why a Teacher?:I enjoy helping others reach goals that they think are not reachable, and working with each individual is not only a learning experience as a teacher, but in real world situations as well..
Extra-curricular activities: N/A
Ronica Salinas
Education and Certifications:EC-6th Generalist
Teaching Experience: 6 years
Subjects and Grade Levels:Phonics, ELAR, Math, Science and Social Studies/1st Grade
Why a Teacher?:I became a teacher to make a difference in the lives of children and to inspire the love of learning to our future generation.
Extra-curricular activities: no
Janice Taylor
Education and Certifications:SPED EC-12, Core Subjects EC-6, Science of Teaching Reading, Pedagogy
Teaching Experience: 1 year
Subjects and Grade Levels:SPED Ec-6
Why a Teacher?:I had a prior career and wanted to do something meaningful. After substitute teaching for 18 months I discovered a live for the Special Education field and knew that’s what I wanted to do..
Extra-curricular activities: I haven’t yet but I am interested.
Valerie Williams
Teacher’s Education and Certifications:Bachelor’s was from Texas A&M University – Commerce, currently attending Texas A&M University – Central Texas to obtain my Master’s Degree
Teaching Experience: This will be my 18th year in education. I have 17 years of experience teaching Special Education.
Subjects and Grade Levels: I will be the LSSP Intern in Salado ISD.
Why a Teacher?:I have a desire to assist special needs students in any way I can. I love to think outside of the box in order to meet the varied needs of Special Education students.
Extra-curricular activities:None