Did you know that the first Tuesday in May is National Teacher Appreciation Day? There’s no better way to celebrate than by highlighting another one of our amazing members of the Hillbrook teaching team!
When Sara relocated back to California twenty years ago seeking a teaching position and drove through the Hillbrook gates, she was captivated. “A creek, rolling hills, the scent of cinnamon rolls, an old library with a fireplace, giggling students, and the presence of wildlife were bewitching. The traditions and feel of Hillbrook have not changed,” she says.
What strikes you most about the students at Hillbrook?
Students at Hillbrook are deeply curious, empathetic, resourceful, and observant! I love watching students run through the Friendly Village, across the grass, and over the bridge as they head to their next class. These journeys often come to a complete halt, as children gather around a baby lizard, a colorful caterpillar, or wiggling worm when the creature is gently taken to a safe spot before the students continue onto their next class.
When you think about the students at Hillbrook, what’s the one thing that stands out to you?
Hillbrook students radiate passion and joy! Whether it is telling a joke at Flag, requesting to solve a “challenging” math problem at recess with friends, or reaching beyond themselves to make a difference, children are ready to take risks in learning and be their best.
What is your favorite unit or project? What lesson are you most proud of and how does this resonate with students?
Teaching poetry has always been one of my favorite units because it weaves in every facet of social emotional learning. Children’s thoughts about life are perceptive, innocent, deep, honest and moving.
What are you most looking forward to at Hillbrook in the next few months?
I love 8th Grade Graduation. Six years after they have moved on from second grade, I watch my former students on stage as they are celebrated and await their diploma. While they are physically different, their essence is the same. They continue to be the deeply curious, empathetic, resourceful, and observant students they were years prior but now much taller!
What is the last place you visited/traveled to or book that you read?
My husband and I went to Belize. We are passionate scuba divers. When you are 90 feet deep, it is refreshing to be a guest in nature’s underwater world. Being free from emails, phone calls, traffic, social media, and other distractions is a truly mindful experience reminding us to take time to decompress and appreciate nature’s splendor.
We hope you liked getting to know Sara!
