I have been teaching for 25 years, first in California, then Oregon and, finally, in Washington public schools. Having finished my graduate and post-graduate education at California State University, Long Beach, I received my teaching credential in 1972 in Elementary Education K-8. I taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades in those early years in California, in both regular education and bi-lingual (Spanish) education. I also taught adult education classes in ESL (now…English Language Learners). Since moving from California to Oregon for 2 years, then to Washington in 1993, I have been teaching music, K-6 and loving it. I have also added a music endorsement to include K-12 and acquired an endorsement in ELL for the State of Washington.
I have always had a passion for music, and was raised playing the accordion. My mother always sang around the house, and I must have learned 100 songs that her father taught her, along with some of her favorites as she got older. Mom also saw to it that my sister and I always had the opportunity to see every musical that came to town. To this day, my sister and I know all the words to most of the songs from about 25 musicals. Love it! We still are a family that sings together when we get together!
As a teen, then young adult, I began singing professionally, and performed extensively with opera companies and civic light operas. Touring with the Roger Wager Chorale and the Young Americans, I performed in Japan and Europe and on stage and television throughout the United States.
I am blessed with a terrific husband, two grown boys, 3 step-children, and 10 wonderful grandchildren. Our families live in Oregon, New Mexico, California, and Washington.
In my free time, I attend church services and church activities, volunteer with Friend-to-Friend, an organization dedicated to befriending the elderly who are confined to homes. I also am active in Incight, an organization that my niece’s husband founded. They raise money for people with limited mobility, thereby helping them to gain an education and experience meaningful working lives. I am a member of a very active guild for Children’s Hospital in Seattle. This is very dear to my heart. I also love to “shop ‘til I drop”, sing in choir, dine out, and attend opera, orchestra and art venues.