Cedar Lane Elementary School

Good Thursday morning, Lion Nation! I am excited to announce that we are again partnering with SBHS to provide our students and families with an opportunity cheer on the Bulldogs. Come out and be a part of the excitement next week on Friday (9/6). More information to come early next week!

Good Wednesday morning, Lion Nation! I am excited to introduce another new TEAM member to our school community, please join me in welcoming Mrs. Heather Woodruff! Mrs. Woodruff likely looks familiar to many members of our community as she served as a long term substitute last school year in 4th grade and did a fabulous job! Mrs. Woodruff is now rocking it as a member of our 3rd Grade TEAM! Read below to learn more about Mrs. Woodruff:

Heather Woodruff

Favorite Literature:
Children’s book: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Adult Literature: Recent Favorite: Left to Tell by Immaculée Ilibagiza

Favorite Quote:
“To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”― Dr. Seuss
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
– Maya Angelou

Education:
Heather graduated from Brigham Young University in May 2006, with a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). She completed a Spanish study abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico and two internships: one in a bilingual school in Hermosillo, Mexico and the other in Salt Lake City, UT. She taught in Utah prior to moving to LCPS.

Some Interesting Tidbits:
Heather taught ELL for three years at Sterling Elementary LCPS before moving abroad. As a spouse of a Foreign Service Officer, she spent almost a decade living in Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar, and most recently returning from Beijing, China with her family. While abroad, Heather ran her own preschool for expat children in Taipei, established a flourishing English music time for toddlers and mothers in a community Tokyo library, and worked with humanitarian organizations to educate both teachers and vulnerable children in Yangon, Myanmar. Additionally, Heather was able to learn more about the administrative side of schools as she worked with the Head of School as one of 12 Board of Trustees who governed a large international school in Beijing, China. She is grateful to have learned and grown from all the communities where her family has lived and thrived. In her spare time, Heather loves playing board games and watching movies with her three wonderful daughters and supportive husband and exploring the local community and historic sites.

Why She Wanted to Become a Teacher:
Heather’s mother always joked that Heather wanted to earn a degree in a “Save the World” major, but that major sadly wasn’t offered.  However, after volunteering at an orphanage in Mexico during a college summer study abroad, Heather found that educating and mentoring young minds was a meaningful, fulfilling way to make a positive impact on the world, one child at a time. Heather’s passion for teaching has grown as she has found unique ways to serve communities she has lived in around the world. She has cherished each of these unique opportunities and the relationships with children and parents that has resulted therefrom.

Thing to Look Forward to:
Heather is looking forward to teaching 3rd grade and helping to ignite her students’ natural curiosity and love for learning. She is eager to create a welcoming environment that reflects her own personal teaching philosophy and style. She is excited to embark on imaginative adventures with her students and to connect and build a strong relationship with each one of them, helping them expand their strengths and positive self-worth. To all her future students, Mrs. Woodruff wants you to get excited because “Adventure Awaits!”

Robeks Spirit Day is tomorrow (8/28)!!!

With temperatures tomorrow expected to be near 100 degrees, I encourage our Lion Nation to find some time to enjoy a Robeks Smoothie tomorrow as we will be having a Cedar Lane / Robeks Spirit Day supporting our PTA! What better way to cool down, relax, and hydrate with a nutritious and delicious Robeks Smoothie!
Online orders can be placed at https://locations.robeks.com/.../43145-broadlands-center.../. Please mention Cedar Lane PTA when picking up!

Stay cool, Lion Nation!

📣Calling all Cedar Lane Elem. families! 📣Have you signed up your student for our fundraiser? You don’t want to miss out, our Cedar Lane Fun Run is going to be epic! 🥳 It only takes a minute! Head to MyBooster.com to get started. ✅

✍️ Sign up your student.
🏫 Help us raise $40,000 for our PTA budget.
🙌 Having an AMAZING experience on event day!

We are off to a great start here at the Lane! Thank you to our staff, students, and families! I am attaching the LCPS Calendar to remind families that there is no school for students on Friday of this week (8/30) and Monday of next week (9/2) is Labor Day, also a student holiday.
Have a great day, and thank you for your support and partnership!

Good Friday morning, Lion Nation! We have had an outstanding opening of the 2024 - 2025 school year here at the Lane! I am so very thankful for our outstanding staff and their continued commitment to serving our students and school community, it is a great blessing to lead this talented, joyful, and spirited TEAM!

While Mrs. Jennifer McDonough is not a new member of our TEAM, as she served as a valued substitute and long-term substitute last school year, this year we welcome her to her very own 4th grade classroom and look forward to a truly outstanding year ahead! Mrs. McDonough brings great energy and joy to her work, and we are very excited to welcome her to the 4th Grade TEAM! Below you will find some interesting facts and biographical information about Mrs. McDonough:

Jennifer McDonough

Children’s book: Grumpy Monkey Series

Adult Literature: I love all types of books. I am always reading or listening to something new.

Favorite Quote: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken” Oscar Wilde

Education: Jennifer graduated from Christopher Newport University in May 2007 where she received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry. She went on to receive a Master of Arts in Elementary Education in December 2012.

Some Interesting Tidbits: Jennifer is a mom of 4 boys, 3 of them are currently attending Cedar Lane and 1 who graduated Cedar Lane and now attends Trailside Middle School. Her family is very active in sports (hockey, soccer, lacrosse, football and karate) so she spends most of her weekends at a sports field! She also loves attending professional sporting events with her family and traveling to new places.

Why She Wanted to Become a Teacher: From childhood, Jennifer always wanted to be a teacher. She loved being around children and spent many weekends and summers babysitting. After graduating college, she moved overseas with her husband, finished her Masters and then became a stay at home mom to her 4 boys over the last 12 years. As her boys got older, she started substituting more and more until she finally decided it was time to have her own classroom. She is looking forward to this new journey at Cedar Lane.

Thing to Look Forward to: Jennifer is excited to start a teaching journey at Cedar Lane, a school she has really loved as a parent and as a substitute for the last 7 years. She is looking forward to making new connections with her students, parents, and the staff and learning new things to make her a better teacher. She is excited about being at the same school as her children and having the ability to say hi to them in the halls or cafeteria.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Back to School Night! It was wonderful to see such a strong turnout, and we're thrilled to welcome our students and families today at our Open House. Tomorrow marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, and I couldn't be more grateful to our dedicated staff, our supportive PTA, and our vibrant community for their unwavering commitment.

As we prepare to embark on another fantastic school year, I’m reminded of how blessed I am to serve this incredible community. It brought a smile to my face to see a proud member of our Lion Nation sporting a shirt that asked if we were ready—what a fantastic shirt! If such a shirt had been around when I was in elementary school, I have no doubt my mother, Mary Ellen Marple, would have made sure I was wearing it proudly on Day One!

Good Tuesday morning, Lion Nation! I am thrilled to introduce to you our new Dean, Mrs. Alysa Ruminski!

**Meet Mrs. Alysa Ruminski: Our New Dean!**

Mrs. Alysa Ruminski is thrilled to join the Cedar Lane administration team as the new Dean this school year. Since beginning her teaching career in 2012 and becoming a member of the Cedar Lane family in 2019, Alysa was able to make an impact as a 5th grade classroom teacher and as the gifted resource teacher, providing SEARCH and FUSION lessons to students in grades 3 through 5.

Alysa's journey into education was inspired by the positive influence of her own elementary teachers, and she is excited to continue her passion for teaching and learning in this new leadership role. She is deeply committed to doing what is best for students by offering challenging and engaging experiences, prioritizing inclusion and equity, and ensuring every student feels loved and supported.

Outside of school, Mrs. Ruminski enjoys spending time with her family in Leesburg, where she lives with her husband, two sons, Greyson (6) and Brooks (2), and their dog, Cooper. When she's not busy chasing after her boys, you might find Alysa reading a good book, going for a jog, or planning her next travel adventure with her friends or family.

Alysa graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Elementary Education and earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from George Mason University. She is enthusiastic about continuing Cedar Lane’s success and is dedicated to making sure every student, family, and staff member feels heard and included as they work together to prepare students for a bright future.

Good Monday morning, Lion Nation! It is with great excitement we are looking forward to welcoming our students on campus for the first day of school on Thursday, August 22nd! Don't forget, we have our Back to School Night scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday, August 20th) and our Open House is Wednesday, August 21st. If you have any questions about specific times for grade levels, please check your e-mail or give the school a call.

It is with great excitement I welcome our new Fusion (Gifted Education) Teacher, Mrs. Ashley Powell! I am so thankful that we were able to add this incredibly talented and passionate educator to our TEAM! Please take a moment to read below some information that will help you get to know Mrs. Powell:

Favorite Literature:
Children’s book: The One and Only series
Adult Literature: A good memoir or mystery

Favorite Quote: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela

Education:
Ashley graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a BA in Elementary Education and a minor in math.

Some Interesting Tidbits: After growing up in the Finger Lakes area of NY, Ashley spent 14 years living and teaching in DC before moving to Loudoun County. Her free time is often spent with her husband and three kids. She loves all sports and games and enjoys going to sporting events with her family. She has an adventurous side and has enjoyed skydiving, white water rafting and marathon running, but also enjoys quiet time doing the NY Times puzzles or relaxing with her family.

Why She Wanted to Become a Teacher: Ashley’s third grade teacher is what sparked her interest in teaching. She admired her calm approach and her ability to make every student feel valued. The spark continued to grow as she spent more time with kids, and she has never looked back. She looks forward to many more years as a teacher!

Thing to Look Forward to: After 20 years in the classroom, Ashley is looking forward to a new challenge as she moves into her role of gifted teacher. She is excited to get to know the Cedar Lane community and do her part to continue to make it an exciting place for the kids to learn and grow.

Mrs. Powell, welcome to the Lane!!!!

Tomorrow morning we are excited to welcome our Educators back into the building as we prepare for an outstanding school year ahead. I am so proud of our leadership TEAM for all of their effort, energy, creativity, and support as we prepare to welcome our wonderful Teachers back and begin our journey. I am so very appreciative of our Custodial TEAM, they have worked very hard this summer to prepare our building. Our floors look awesome!! Lastly, a special thank you to our Main Office TEAM, Mrs. Paskey and Mrs. Young! They do so much behind the scenes and are an absolute joy to work with! I am honored and humbled to serve alongside such amazing professionals! It is a blessing for me to be a Cedar Lane Lion!

Good afternoon, Lion Nation! We are very excited to welcome our staff back tomorrow and begin our journey together! I have several new staff members that I am eager to introduce to our community over the next few days via this platform. Please join me in giving a Lion Nation WELCOME to Mrs. Courtney Flinton who will be joining our TEAM as a Search Teacher, serving both Cedar Lane ES and Belmont Station! Mrs. Flinton has a great reputation throughout LCPS as an outstanding Classroom Teacher and I am excited for her to begin her journey with our TEAM as a Gifted Education Teacher. Courtney, welcome to the FAMILY!

Below is some information to assist our community in getting to know Mrs. Flinton:

Courtney Flinton

Favorite Literature: Children’s book – The Wild Robot
Adult Literature: Romantic Comedies

Favorite Quote:
“Be the reason someone smiles today.”

Education:
Courtney was born and raised in Loudoun County and graduated from Loudoun Valley in 2009. She then attended George Mason University for her Bachelor’s degree and then went onto Liberty University to earn a Master’s degree in Teaching Elementary Education.

Some Interesting Tidbits:
When Courtney is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband and chasing after their 2-year-old son, Nash. As a family we love spending time watching football (Go Commanders & WVU Mountaineers)! She also enjoys spending lots of time outside, going to the beach, reading, and talking our Siberian Husky, Koda for long walks.

Why She Became a Teacher:
Ever since Courtney was a little girl, she wanted to be a teacher. Playing “school” in her childhood home basement with an actual overhead projector was just the beginning to a lifelong dream. After graduating from GMU, and moving straight to Fort Bragg, NC for her husband’s Army career, she started her teaching career at a private academy teaching Kindergarten. From then on, and a lot more moves around the country, her teaching experiences became so unique and the love for being a teacher continued to grow.

Things To Look Forward To:
Courtney is really excited to be a Gifted Teacher at Cedar Lane! She comes to the Lion Nation with 12 years of teaching experience in K-3 grades. Most recently she taught 2nd and 3rd grade at Belmont Station and Hovatter Elementary. As a new Gifted Educator, Courtney is looking forward to giving students the chance to show their abilities in their own unique ways. She is excited for this new opportunity! She can’t wait to form connections with our amazing Lion Nation community!

Super excited to attend LCPS Welcome ONE this morning and greet our newest Cedar Lane Lion TEAM members! This event was for all staff new to LCPS. It was also a great joy to have our Mascot join us this morning (HUGE THANK YOU to Mikaela)!! So many folks loved our mascot, including the Riverside HS Principal (who is also the husband of Mrs. Anderson, who will be joining our TEAM as a 3rd Grade Teacher) and our very own Superintendent, Dr. Spence! We are getting ready for an outstanding year ahead! A special thanks to our veteran TEAM members who came out to support our new Lions. It is great to be a Cedar Lane Lion!

Good Tuesday evening, Lion Nation! I am excited to introduce you to a new member of our TEAM, Mrs. Cindy Erdelyi! Mrs. Erdelyi comes to us from Sully Elementary School where she was an outstanding teacher leader. While at Sully, she served as a Grade Level TEAM Leader and a school-wide Equity Lead. Her Principal at Sully, Mr. John Tuck shared so much positive praise regarding his work alongside Mrs. Erdelyi. I am excited to have the opportunity to welcome Cindy to the Lane! Please join me in welcoming this talented educator! Below you can learn a bit more about our new 5th Grade Teacher, Mrs. Erdelyi.

Cindy Erdelyi

Favorite Books:
- Children's book: "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White
- Adult Literature: She loves mystery, humor, and romance

Favorite Quote: “If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.” - Dolly Parton

Education:
Cindy graduated from West Virginia University in May 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. She is pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership from George Mason University.

Some Interesting Tidbits: When she's not at school, Cindy enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and dog, Evie. She loves traveling to different places, such as South America and Europe. When she is in the States, she loves to visit family in New Jersey and New York. Cindy enjoys walking, reading, dancing with her son, and cooking.

Why She Became a Teacher: Cindy's decision to become a teacher was inspired by her educational experiences. She had two excellent elementary and high school teachers who supported her goals. They inspired her to pursue a career in education to help other students thrive just like herself.

Looking Forward: Cindy is thrilled to be part of the Cedar Lane Community! With six years of teaching experience, she is excited to build relationships with the fifth-grade students, families, co-workers, and the community at Cedar Lane. She is eager to help students flourish uniquely and can't wait to meet everyone!

Good Monday afternoon, Lion Nation! Please join me in welcoming a new member of our 1st Grade TEAM, Ms. Maryam Aziz! I am very excited to have Ms. Aziz join us as we prepare for an outstanding year ahead! I met Ms. Aziz at the UVA Recruiting Fair and feel so blessed that she has chosen to return to Loudoun to begin her professional career as an educator! Welcome Maryam! Below you can learn a bit more about our new TEAM member:

Favorite Literature
Children's Book: “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” By Dr. Suess
Adult Literature: Harry Potter and any book with a good plot twist!

Favorite Quote: “Growth is uncomfortable because you’ve never been here before.”

Education: Maryam grew up in Loudoun County Public Schools where she graduated from Heritage High School. She then went on to graduate from University of Virginia where she completed a Bachelors of Science Degree in Elementary Teaching in May 2024.

Some Interesting Tidbits: When Maryam Isn’t in the classroom, she is outside enjoying nature and going on walks. She likes to discover new places with family and friends. Maryam enjoys looking for different classroom strategies to implement on her own; growing and learning is a strong passion of hers!

Why She Wanted to Become a Teacher: Maryam has always enjoyed working with kids ever since she was young. She was always around kids and thought at a young age she wanted to be a teacher. Her passions were confirmed when she started working at a daycare in a preschool classroom where she formed connections with her students. After forming these valuable connections and seeing students learn and grow, she knew this was her passion!

Things to Look Forward to: Maryam is so excited to be entering her first year of teaching! She is going to be in a first grade classroom and looking forward to fostering positive relationships with her first grade students, families, and co-workers at Cedar Lane. She is excited to build a healthy classroom environment and watch her students blossom in their own unique way!

Good Thursday afternoon, Lion Nation! I am very excited to introduce to our school community a new member of our staff, Mr. Joe Breinig, Jr.! I have known Mr. Breinig for many years, as he and I worked together at Park View High School! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Mr. Breinig again and look forward to an outstanding year ahead! Welcome to the Lane, Mr. Breinig!

Favorite Literature: History and Biographies
Adult Literature: Sports and Leadership

Favorite Quote: “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.”- Vince Lombardi

Education:
LCPS graduate from Loudoun County HS. Played baseball at Liberty University and earned Bachelor of Science in Sports Management. After college enrolled in the United States Marine Corps; where served 6 years as an Intelligence Analyst.

After the USMC, moved to Florida and became a teacher and coach at Ridgewood HS. Three years later, moved back to northern Virginia and became the Asst. Athletic Director at Broad Run HS. Transitioned into the head Athletic Director at Park View HS for 8 years and opened John Champe HS and was there as the AD for 9 years. Most recently transitioned back into the classroom as a PE teacher at Guilford Elementary and now blessed to be at Cedar Lane.

Some Interesting Tidbits: Joe is extremely active by coaching his son Tommy in football, basketball and baseball. He loves working with his son and other young student athletes to shape them into future leaders. The lessons learned through sports help shape their lives. Joe enjoys every single second working with young people. Joe is married to his wife Theresa and they have 3 children – CJ, Grace and Tommy.

Why He Wanted to Become a teacher: After playing sports his whole life and serving in the United States Marine Corps, Joe has a deep love for our country and imparting wisdom, knowledge and life lessons to the younger generation. His passion is working with young people to help them grow and develop into young men and women who will be strong, confident and ready to achieve anything they put their mind to accomplishing in life.

Thing to Look Forward to: Joe is excited to join the Ashburn community, Principal Marple and the other amazing staff at Cedar Lane Elementary.

Good Thursday evening, Lion Nation!

I hope this communication finds all members of our school community in excellent health and joyful spirits!

For any family interested in purchasing Cedar Lane Spirit Wear, Cheers Sports has set up an on-line store that will be open beginning today (7/25) and will close on August 2nd at midnight. You can choose to have your order shipped to your home, or you can swing by Cheers Sports to pick your order up once it is complete. Below is the link:

https://cedarlanesummer2024.itemorder.com

Cheers Sports is located at:

20700 Loudoun County Pkwy #184, Ashburn, VA 20147

Phone: (703) 723-3111

With Cedar Lane Lion Pride,

Bob Marple

Cedar Lane Summer 2024 Online ordering for Cedar Lane Summer 2024 ends on Fri, Aug 2, 2024 (11:59 PM EDT)

Good Wednesday morning, Lion Nation! I am super excited to welcome another outstanding educator to our TEAM! Please join me in providing Mrs. Vicky Reidenbaugh a warm Lion Nation WELCOME as she will be joining our 3rd Grade TEAM! Below is some biographical information to allow our families to get to know a bit more about Mrs. Reidenbaugh:

Vicky Reidenbaugh
Favorite Literature:

Children’s Book - Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Adult Book - Too many to count! Right now, The Women by Kristin Hannah

Favorite Quote:

“You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be.” Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

“If we want meaningful change, we have to make a connection to the heart before we can make a connection to the mind.” George Couros, The Innovator’s Mindset: Empowering Learning, Unleashing Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity

Education:
Vicky graduated from Radford University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Special Education and Math. After being a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) resource teacher for a few years, she decided to get her Master’s Degree from George Mason University in Curriculum and Instruction in STEM in 2020.

Some Interesting Tidbits:
Vicky recently moved to Loudoun County from Haymarket, VA with her husband and two little boys. You can often find her running after her two very rambunctious sons who are ten months and two and a half! If she is not chasing them she is often seen running into a coffee shop for an iced coffee, grabbing a book to read on the porch during her kid’s nap times, or researching a fun new recipe to try.

On Friday nights, you can find her cheering on the Loudoun County HS Captains as her husband is the head football coach. Go Captains! Her weekends are full of sports and family. She looks forward to Sunday dinner each weekend with her whole family, a sweet tradition that has been kept up for over 10 years now!

Thing to look forward to:
Vicky is excited to be teaching third grade at Cedar Lane! She has taught for 11 years as a 1st grade teacher, STEAM resource for PreK-6, and 3rd grade. She is looking forward to meeting the rising 3rd graders, creating a classroom family, and seeing her students succeed in what they love! She loves getting to know her students and finding ways to infuse what they love into everyday instruction. She values what students bring to the classroom and leverages that to create a safe, fun, and engaging classroom! She cannot wait to start the 2024-2025 school year and meet the amazing families at Cedar Lane!

Good Monday morning, Lion Nation! Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Pam Anderson to our TEAM! Mrs. Anderson brings with her incredible enthusiasm, a love of teaching and learning, and a passion for seeing her students thrive! I feel very blessed to have Pam join our Lion Nation! Below is some biographical information on Mrs. Anderson:

Pamela (Pam) Anderson

Children’s book: Frindle by Andrew Clements
Favorite Quote: “Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.” By William Butler Yeats
Education:
Mrs. Anderson has taught for over 24 years. After graduating undergraduate school from Elon College, she continued her education at Marymount University with her master’s degree.
She began her teaching profession in Fairfax County, later moving closer to her home working in Loudoun County Public Schools. She has enjoyed teaching first, second and third grade.

Some Interesting Tidbits: Mrs. Anderson is married to another educator in the local area. Her husband is the principal of Riverside High School. Together, they raised two boys. Cole recently graduated from the University of South Carolina while their younger son, Hale will be graduating from James Madison University next year.

When Mrs. Anderson has free time, she enjoys long walks with her dog, Bella, while listening to her favorite podcasts.

Why She Wanted to Become a Teacher: Mrs. Anderson wanted to become a teacher when she was in elementary school. Her mother and paternal grandmother were both educators. Mrs. Anderson was raised in a military family. They moved 9 times while she attended elementary school. It was during this time that Mrs. Anderson was able to see quite a variety of teaching styles. She realized over those formative years that she wanted to be the type of teacher where a child would feel comfortable making mistakes and still strive to want to do their best.

Thing to Look Forward to: Mrs. Anderson is thrilled to be joining the Cedar Lane Staff. She brings an abundance of experience, especially to third grade. She’s excited to teach about the ancient cultures, conduct exciting science experiments, help write fantastic stories, dive into amazing books and problem solve engaging math problems with her students. She’s looking forward to getting to know the Cedar Lane community. Be ready to have the most amazing year ever! Third Grade is the BEST!!!

Good Thursday morning, Lion Nation! I am excited to share another new staff member profile with our school community this morning! Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Lauren Treiber to our TEAM! Mrs. Treiber is a very familiar face around our hallways, as she has served as a PTA executive board member and valued volunteer in years past. Lauren, we are thrilled to have you join our staff and we look forward to an outstanding year ahead!

Lion Nation, learn more about Mrs. Treiber below:

Favorite Literature:
Children’s book: The Llama Llama books by Anna Dewdney
Adult Literature: All Jodi Picoult books

Favorite Quote: “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” ― Clare Pooley, “The Authenticity Project”

Education: Lauren completed her undergraduate studies at James Madison University, earning a degree in Psychology and Early Childhood Education. Following her passion for integrating technology into education, she pursued and obtained a Master's in Instructional Technology from Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, she enhanced her expertise with a Certificate in Educational Leadership from McDaniel College.

Some Interesting Tidbits: Lauren finds joy in spending quality time with her family and supporting her daughters in their passions. Her oldest daughter plays travel field hockey and also competes for Stone Bridge, while her youngest daughter is deeply involved in travel softball — often finding Lauren on the sidelines cheering them on. With both Lauren and her husband as proud JMU alumni, they relish taking their girls to JMU football games to root for the Dukes. As avid New York Giants fans, they also enjoy attending games to watch them play against the Washington Commanders. When not immersed in sports, Lauren enjoys entertaining, shopping, outdoor activities, reading, camping, beach outings, and skiing.

Why She Wanted to Become a Teacher: Lauren's journey toward teaching began with a natural inclination to share knowledge and spark curiosity in young minds. Growing up with her mother, a first-grade teacher, Lauren was immersed in an environment that celebrated education. Inspired by her mother's dedication and creativity in the classroom, Lauren developed her own love for creating hands-on activities that made learning both fun and engaging. These experiences, along with a family tradition of teaching, solidified Lauren's desire to pursue a career where she could foster a love for learning and positively impact her students' lives.

Thing to Look Forward to: Lauren is enthusiastic about returning to the classroom as a full-time teacher. After teaching 3rd grade and working as an instructional specialist with K-5 teachers, she took a break to raise her daughters. Her daughters attended Cedar Lane, where Lauren was an active member of the PTA. Therefore, she is especially thrilled about returning to Cedar Lane, considering it like family. For the past three years, she has been a PALS Tutor, primarily working with K-2 students at Discovery ES. This experience deepened her passion for teaching young learners how to become successful readers. Lauren is particularly excited about teaching Kindergarten and is eager to create a nurturing classroom environment where her students can thrive and explore new learning opportunities throughout the year.