Think back to when you were a student, back-to-school shopping, finding your classroom, and the exciting lessons that would soon fill your day. The first day of school jitters that were calmed by the friendly, welcoming face, and celebrating the “ah ha” moments when you finally figured out how to solve the problem. Then there was the time in kindergarten, when you went to the restroom but couldn’t remember the way back to your classroom. As panic set in, that friendly face walked around the corner and they knew exactly where your classroom was. These champions make math exciting and words come to life through reading and writing, they stood beside you and cheered as you mastered kickball, that difficult note, or the masterpiece that needed a little finesse.

Although everyone’s school experience was different, teachers are the common thread throughout classrooms and schools. They are the first to welcome you to a new class, they spend extra time working through a challenging problem, and they give you a high five when you accomplish your goals.

St. Vrain is the proud home to nearly 2,000 teachers who spend their days preparing our students for the future. Join us in celebrating our teachers and learn what they enjoy about teaching, why they became teacher and what their favorite memory is from the days they spent as a student in the classroom.

Thank you to all of our teachers.

Getting to know:
Wendy Horner
Grade 4
Indian Peaks Elementary

What do you enjoy most about teaching?
What I love most about teaching is seeing a student’s amazement when they surpass their own expectations and realize they are capable of even more than they thought. When a student lights up with excitement and passion about something they are learning or when they meet or pass a goal they have set for themselves, it refuels my own energy as a teacher.

Briefly tell us about the path you took to becoming a teacher?
Many people told me that teaching would be something I would be good at, but I was not certain I could handle that level of responsibility. It took ten years after I graduated high school before I felt I was ready to be a teacher. I helped out with a few summer camps and really enjoyed teaching the children, so I returned to school to pursue my bachelor degree in education. Originally I was hoping to teach middle school math or science, but spent half of my student teaching in a fourth-grade classroom. I was hooked. These younger students were the ones I wanted to spend my time working with. Eleven years later I still wake up every day looking forward to helping my students become amazing young people who will grow to make our community and world a better place.

What is your favorite memory from when you were a student?
In my eighth-grade year, my math teacher encouraged me to take an advanced placement test to determine if I should/could move to a higher math class. This was the first time in my memory that a teacher had pushed me to reach for more challenging work than what was expected. Mathematics was one of my favorite subjects ever since then, and to this day, I love helping students discover their abilities in mathematics.