Teaching is such a big part of my life, and each year I look forward to beginning a new adventure with my class.  When I’m not teaching, I love to be with my grandson who is seven years old now. He spends time with me at a park, pool, or other fun place.  We have discovered many kid-friendly places, but sometimes the best place is home, just playing a game or watching him discover new things on the computer!  My new family addition is a sweet border collie, Juno, who is keeping me more active than ever! I also enjoy reading, jigsaw puzzles, going to local games, and faithfully cheering on favorites at the races in Elko every week.

Several years ago, I was looking for a teaching job in a Catholic school because I knew I wanted to be able to teach in a community of strong faith.  Holy Cross was very attractive because of the rural community, and being half Czech, I was happy to see all the Czech influences in the area. I loved the community right away.  As I taught here, the reason I stayed is because I loved our school’s beautiful faith-filled days, the sincere, kind people forming our school community, and the learning opportunities given to our students each day.  I see so much learning here, and I know the students are well prepared to move on to their high schools.

I believe a child learns best in an environment where they feel safe and cared for.  They need to know they are valued, and they need to be asked to accomplish things they will be proud of.  At all levels, the children need to be encouraged to learn new things, to face new challenges with positive attitudes, and to be open to new experiences.  As they do their assignments, work with their classmates on projects, and explore resources they can use for information, each student will learn what works best for them to learn the most and accomplish the best-finished product.  I believe we all learn from each other, and everyone should be encouraged to share their knowledge or ideas so others will learn from them. Every day truly is an opportunity to learn something new.