By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Vanessa D’Souza, a first-year teacher at Burns Park Elementary, was raised in Ann Arbor by her mother, older brother, and grandmother. Because her mother worked two jobs, D’Souza’s grandmother …
AAPS Updates
- Becca Robinson, Bach Elementary third/fourth grade teacher
- AAPS students delve into coding during week-long Hour of Code
- Pioneer Symphony Band to perform composition by Pioneer alum Chris Hass Dec. 12 at Winter Winds Concert
- Huron High School counselor Caitlin Van Cleve wins first WCC Bridge Award
- 30 seconds with … a Bach kindergarten teacher who knows how to make it all better
“Exceptional” profiles
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Kristen Floyd was born and raised on the west side of Detroit, the oldest of 10 children. She says that although her father didn’t finish high school and never …
Photos and video by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Sean Eldon grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, the oldest of three children to a carpenter and a bank teller. Neither of his parents had a college degree …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Huron High School’s school nurse Kate Odette—who is also the district’s lead nurse—has just been named Michigan School Nurse of the Year. Odette grew up in western Pennsylvania, attended …
Story, photos and video by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor When she was asked to nominate a teacher for the weekly Exceptional series of profiles, Thurston Principal Natasha York said that while every teacher in …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Clague Middle School librarian Kim McLean grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from Temple University, where she studied communications and theater. She started her career in book publishing, where …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Born and raised in Ann Arbor by a mother who often emphasized the importance of education, LaKeisha Drummer attended preschool at Pattengill, Lawton Elementary School, Slauson Middle School, and Pioneer High …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Claudia Parfitt grew up in Breckenridge, Michigan, a small farm community in the center of the state. She is the youngest of four children born to an elementary teacher …
Photos & video by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Bill Van Loo is a maker, teacher, musician, and photographer. He grew up in Jackson County and graduated from Napoleon High School. Both of his …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Christine Woelmer grew up attending the Ida Public Schools in southeast Michigan. Her father was an English professor at Monroe County Community College, and her mother taught English …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Sarah Bradley grew up in Ann Arbor and attended the Ann Arbor public schools. She remembers her first day of kindergarten, walking into Mrs. Clefgard’s classroom at …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Erin Wright was born in Detroit and grew up mostly in Grand Rapids. The daughter of a special education teacher, Wright knew how demanding and rewarding teaching is as a …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Jen Kunec was born and raised in Ann Arbor. Her father, Jerome Jelinek, was a concert cellist and a Professor of Music at The University of Michigan. Her mother, …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Heather Gray grew up with a brother and sister in the small town of Jesup, Iowa. Her parents were both elementary school teachers and she was a teacher’s …
By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Monica Brennan has been teaching at Angell Elementary for five years. She grew up in Royal Oak, the daughter of a nurse (mother) and a Chrysler assembly worker, both …