I am excited to be joining Polenta Elementary School family for the 2017-2018 school year.  This year will be my 13th year in education all of which have been in the Johnston County Public School System.  During this time, I have served as a teacher, curriculum/intervention specialist, assistant principal and principal.  Prior to coming to Polenta, I had the opportunity to serve as the principal of West Clayton Elementary School.  As a Johnston County native, I consider it an honor and blessing to serve in this community.

My undergraduate degree was obtained from Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina.  Then, I attended North Carolina State University to earn my master’s degree in School Administration.  Go Pack!!!!

I believe that all children can learn but each learns in a different way and at different rates.  Keeping the atmosphere positive is the key to success as well as keeping the lines of communication open among staff, students, and parents.  I am a firm believer in teamwork and believe that through this we can be successful in reaching the ultimate goal of helping a child attain his or her full potential.

I am a very visible and involved principal and getting to know and work with the students is the best part of the job!  I am looking forward to continuing my career in education at Polenta Elementary School and the great things that we will accomplish!!
 

I am a product of Johnston County Schools, where I attended and graduated from Princeton High, the last K-12 school in the district. After graduating from high school, I began working in a daycare and then with Johnston-Lee Head Start while I earned an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education from Johnston Community College. I began working at Cooper Elementary as a teacher assistant in 1st grade, eventually moving to East Clayton Elementary as a teacher assistant in their Autistic class. Later I began working at North Johnston Middle working with At-Risk students while I completed my degree in Special Education - General Curriculum from East Carolina University. After graduating from ECU, I taught briefly at Corinth Holder School (middle school students) and moved to Archer Lodge Middle when it opened. I was accepted to the Principal's Fellow program and attended East Carolina University where I obtained a Master's in School Administration degree. I completed my internship at Polenta and have worked as an Assistant Principal here since graduating from ECU in 2014.

As an educator, I believe that we should leave “no stone unturned” in our efforts to help a child reach his/her potential in life.  With 12 years of teaching experience, I have had the pleasure of providing instruction for elementary students in both Johnston and Wake county public schools.  In 2013, I was recognized by Johnston County Public Schools as a semi-finalist for Teacher of the Year (out of a pool of 400+ applicants). I have received advanced training in the fields of reading and  academic giftedness. In addition, I have extensive experience in teaching English Language Learners (ELL) and special education students.

As a school-wide leader, I have served as a mentor for beginning teachers, Vice-Chairman of the School Improvement Team (SIT), Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) member, and other leadership capacities. My educational experience includes an undergraduate degree in psychology from East Carolina University; a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Campbell University; and a Master’s degree in School Administration from North Carolina State University.

It is my honor to serve Polenta Elementary under the leadership of our principal, Mrs. Kristina Benson, as she builds an exceptional team fully committed to making our school the most extraordinary school in the district.  Please join us as we move from good to great!