Hey there! I'm so glad you're here!

I'm Jen. Hugger, chocolate lover, beach go-er, techie, passionate educator, boy mom, and wife.

Mission

Early literacy for all children

My Story

I think I was destined to be a teacher.

From 1st grade on, I said I wanted to be a teacher. I used to play "school" with a neighborhood friend. I had a chalkboard and a music chalkboard liner just like the one my 5th grade teacher had:

My focus changed a little in high school and it wasn't until my 2nd or 3rd year of college that I re-focused my goals on becoming a teacher. I even interviewed my 5th grade teacher for an English paper. I took all of the pre-requisite courses, exams, and applied to graduate school.

Note: In the state of Virginia, all of the courses to become a teacher are graduate-level courses.

I worked during the day and went to school at night. I spent time in classrooms. I was a substitute teacher. I did my student teaching and got a job.

I learned a lot about literacy, word study, and the connections in the curriculum. I took classes in Elementary Economics, Virginia History, ADHD, Autism, Assistive Technology, and more.

Over time, I worked with a variety of students and learned from a variety of teachers. I collaborated with all of the teachers in the building, led professional development, and engaged families.

Fast forward to my own children. And the pandemic.

Because of my classroom resources and background knowledge, I was able to keep my children moving forward with their learning.

But how many parents have the resources? Or know what to do?

My heart ached for these families. I reached out to my child's school offering support, but with the pandemic, I was told: "thank you".

So I focused on my children. I wrote letters to the school board on behalf of the parents they weren't hearing from. I reminded them of the parents with limited English and limited incomes. I pushed for more family engagement. I don't know if I was heard, but I did write.

As we came out of the pandemic, we searched for a new preschool for our youngest. We wanted something closer to home.

During a school "tour" it was clear that their focus was very academic (e.g., workbooks and homework for preschoolers). It was clear they were proud of what their students could do and how successful they were in Kindergarten.

It was all I could do to keep my mouth shut.

This school, and schools like it, are not helping the families that need it most.

What pre-kindergarten experiences are available for low-income families? What about families with limited or no English skills?

It was then that I decided that I wanted to do something about it.

I hope you will join me!

XOXO

Jen
(she/her)