Hello! I'm Ms. Leah and I am so excited to be teaching 6/7 ELA and social studies this school year. Reading and writing have always been a passion of mine. To start, teaching is my second career. I graduated from Drake University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. For a number of years, I managed development and marketing for an outdoor education program in Jefferson County, CO. However, after working with schools, volunteering in my own children's classrooms, and homeschooling for a year I realized my passion for teaching couldn't be ignored. I received my teaching license in 2022, and I am currently completing my Master's in Teaching and Learning at CSU Global. This will be my third year working at The Juniper School and my second year as a classroom teacher. Here are a couple quick facts about me:

• Favorite books: Most of Barbara Kingsolver's books, The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin, and A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers (My favorite books in middle school were The Chronicles of Narnia series.)
• Favorite musician: Chris Stapleton 
• Favorite treat: Oreos 
• Favorite activities: Running, hiking, paddle boarding, and just hanging at the lake 
• Favorite people: My family! My husband Sean and our kids Wyatt and Lydia 
• Favorite animal: My dog Sarge :-)