“Exceptional” profiles

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[ March 25, 2026 ] AAPS hosts annual A2 Area Invention Convention Latest news
[ March 24, 2026 ] Community comes together to give Westerman preschoolers a first school-wide field trip Community Gives Back
[ March 23, 2026 ] Christine Woodson, Mitchell Elementary second grade teacher "Exceptional" profiles
[ March 19, 2026 ] Scarlett Middle School teacher in the running for national “Favorite Teacher” contest Latest news
[ March 17, 2026 ] The community is invited to the 2026 IB Diploma Program Visual Arts Senior Exhibition Reception High School News

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 […]

Pathways Principal Tyrone Weeks: `Students know I genuinely care’

January 6, 2016 AAPS News Editor

Story and photos by Jo Mathis AAPS District News Editor When Tyrone Weeks was growing up on Detroit’s historic North End, his house was unique to others in his neighborhood because his father lived there. […]

Shawn Davis, Carpenter Elementary kindergarten teacher

December 30, 2015 AAPS News Editor

Shawn Davis is shown with a few of his students. Photos by Jo Mathis. Shawn Davis grew up in Ann Arbor and was a student […]

John Birko, Ann Arbor Student Building and Industry Program teacher

December 14, 2015 AAPS News Editor

John Birko, Ann Arbor Student Building and Industry Program teacher, was recognized last month as Builder of the Year for the Builder and Remodelers Association of Greater Ann Arbor. Birko is in his thirtieth year […]