“Exceptional” profiles

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[ February 10, 2026 ] District-wide NAAPID celebrations emphasized the importance of family involvement in student success Features
[ February 6, 2026 ] Young chefs enjoy new Rec & Ed cooking class just in time for the Super Bowl Features
[ February 2, 2026 ] During National School Counseling Week, AAPS honors School Counselors as the unsung orchestrators of student success Features
[ February 2, 2026 ] Freda Shatara, Abbot Elementary first grade teacher "Exceptional" profiles
[ January 29, 2026 ] Pioneer sophomore Natasza Dudek—the fastest female high school runner in the country—adds yet another honor to an incredible record Features

Andy Meyer, Abbot Elementary first grade teacher

September 27, 2016 AAPS News Editor

Andy Meyer grew up with three brothers in the Kalamazoo area, the son of a small business owner and a nurse. His love for sports started early. Meyer started playing hockey when he was […]

Collin Ganio, Skyline High School Latin teacher

September 21, 2016 AAPS News Editor

Collin Ganio was born in 1970 and grew up in Walnut Creek, California. His childhood goal was to become a starship captain by his 30th birthday, but at the age of seven, he began to […]

Greta Barfield, Huron High School Special Education teacher

May 2, 2016 AAPS News Editor

Greta Barfield spent most of her school years in Muncie, Indiana, where she graduated from Burris Laboratory School, which is part of Ball State University’s Teacher College. She also earned her bachelors degree in […]

Tracy Anderson, Community High School English teacher

April 25, 2016 AAPS News Editor

Tracy Anderson was walking out of the Ann Arbor District Library in 2000, balancing a stack of books for her thesis research, when she stopped by the job posting board and saw the opening […]

Bethany Tabaka, Carpenter Elementary third grade teacher

March 31, 2016 AAPS News Editor

Bethany Tabaka attended Chelsea Public schools through high school, then majored in both elementary education and Spanish at Western Michigan University. She learned to speak Spanish fluently by participating in a study abroad course in […]

Kristal Jaaskelainen, Skyline High School lead English teacher

February 24, 2016 AAPS News Editor

Profile and photo by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Kristal Jaaskelainen (pronounced “Ja´-ska-lie-nen”) was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula, moved to the Ann Arbor area to attend the University of Michigan, and has been […]

Richard Ingram, Huron High School Music Department Chair

February 16, 2016 AAPS News Editor

Richard Ingram was born in Lincoln, Nebraska and lived there until 1965, when his family moved to Ann Arbor. He has lived here since. The 1970 Pioneer High School graduate received his college training at […]

Christy Yee, AAPS occupational therapist

January 26, 2016 AAPS News Editor

In a sentence or two, why do you love what you do? Profile and photo by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Christy Yee joined the Ann Arbor Public Schools in 2002, and has a passion for […]

Dawn Blair, Pattengill Elementary fourth grade teacher

January 12, 2016 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Dawn Blair completed her elementary and high school years in Somerville, which is outside Memphis. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University […]

Leslie Landrum, French teacher at Scarlett Middle School

January 7, 2016 AAPS News Editor

Listen to Leslie Landrum, pictured above in her classroom, introduce herself in French: Leslie Landrum earned bachelor degrees in interior architecture and French at Michigan State University, and studied at the University of London […]