After School Activities

Mrs. Verity

Where are you from?

“My dad is a retired Marine so I kinda grew up in a lot of places and I claim several places as “where I am from.”  I was born at Valley Medical in Renton, but spent most of my early years in California growing up on the beach and in the desert.  My middle and high school years were spent in Virginia.  I’ve lived in Washington since I was 18, minus a brief return to VA to attend college.  Fun fact:  I have lived at more than 30 addresses in my life so far!”

What college did you go to?

“I went to Green River College in Auburn, WA, James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA, Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA and Washington State University in Vancouver, WA.”

What made you want to become a teacher?

“Back in high school, I wanted to be an art teacher. I even got my degree from Western Washington in studio art with the idea to work towards that plan! My mom was a teacher and I’ve always been inspired by teachers – especially teachers who allowed creativity!”

Do you have any children?

“YEP! I love them deeply! Maya is 19 and is a student at Western Washington University. She is studying to be an actor! Evan is 16 and just finishing his Sophomore year in high school! He loves Dungeons and Dragons. They are both lifeguards at Wild Waves this summer!  Be sure to say hi to them if you see them there!”

What is one of your hobbies?

“Based on the number of surveys I’ve filled out in the last 2 years, I’d have to say answering surveys/questionnaires.”

What is your spirit animal?

“I have two:  a personal spirit animal and a family spirit animal. My family spirit animal is a wolf. We are a pack. We look out for each other and we work together. My personal spirit animal is a turtle. Turtles have a protective shell, but they are delicate on the inside.”

What do you want students to remember about your class?

“What time it starts!”

If animals could talk, which one would have a bad attitude?

“Easy. A Chihuahua. (Sorry, Mr. Ostrander.)”

What food dish can you cook to perfection?

“I can boil a great egg! Like, my egg shells peel off amazingly! I also get a lot of compliments on my potato salad.”

Mrs. Barnard

Where are you from?

“I was born in Los Angeles, California, grew up in Canon City, Colorado, graduated from high school in Shelton, Washington, and went to college near Cleveland, Ohio … so I’m from all over. Although, I am definitely more of a Broncos fan than a Seahawks or a Browns fan! (Who wouldn’t be?)”

Where did you go to College?

“I went to Oberlin College near Cleveland, Ohio, where I double majored in art history and biology. I also played soccer and basketball and ran track at Oberlin. I would encourage any competitively athletic student who doesn’t think they can walk onto a D-I team to look at D-III colleges – playing college sports is an unforgettable experience!”

What made you want to become a teacher?

“After I graduated from college, I worked for the National Park Service doing environmental education at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. I loved working with kids and teaching them about science and natural history. My favorite part was using the outdoors as my classroom, but I made about $1.50 an hour … so I decided I would go into “actual” teaching to make the big bucks!”

What's your favorite snack?

“Cheetos! Any flavor – but they have to be crunchy, not puffy!”

Do you have any hidden talents? What are they???

“Sarcasm. (Oh! I guess that’s not really hidden, is it?) 😉”

How do you spend your summer breaks?

“Relaxing... Reading... Traveling with my family... Cooking... Eating good food... Kayaking… Backpacking… Playing with my doggo… Doing everything I can think of that’s not school-related!”

If you could pass on any wisdom to your students what would it be?

“Engage in your life! Find something you are passionate about that makes you happy and compliments who you truly are … and do something about it. Don’t just sit back and watch things happen.”

If your class could have a theme song what would it be?

“This one is tough! During a normal year, I think I would choose “Pipe Dream” by Animusic – there are lots of chaotic, contradictory notes happening at different tempos that somehow fit together. This year, however, I kind of feel like some sort of chirping crickets sound effects would be more accurate!”

If you could travel to outer space what is the first thing you would want to do?

“Take my helmet off and scream at the top of my lungs because no one could hear me! (Just kidding – that’s a really bad idea!) I would break open a package of Cheetos and watch them float around me. Then I’d eat them like Pac Man.”

If you could take a trip to anywhere in the world, where would it be?

“I would love to go to New Zealand – it has mountains, beaches, temperate rainforests and a rich cultural history. The pictures I’ve seen are so beautiful, it just seems like there would be so many different things to experience.”

Mr. Ostrander

Where are you from?

“I am from here, but I was born in Portland, Oregon.”

What  college did you go to?

“I attended Central Washington University and Eastern Connecticut State University.”

What made you want to become a teacher?

When I was in middle school I remember my teacher explaining Math in a certain way. I kept thinking, why doesn't he explain it like this?”

What is your spirit animal?

“A chihuahua”

What is your favorite food?

“I can’t just say one.  I love to rotate between all different types of food.  If you eat too much of one thing you get tired of it.”

If there was a movie made about your life, what actor would you want to play you?

“Joe Pesci”

What is one of your hidden talents?

“I love to metal detect.  In ten years I have found 204 silver coins (after 1964 they stopped putting silver into most coins).  My oldest is an 1888 seated liberty dime.  I found it in an old Seattle Park.”

Where is the coolest place you’ve ever been? 

“London, England.”

If you could have one song play everytime you walked into a room what would it be?

“Wonderwall, sung by Noel Gallagher”

If you could travel back in time, what time period would it be and why?
“New York 1660.  That when my ancestors came over from Amsterdam. Back then New York was called New Amsterdam.”

Mr. Pumplin

What made you want to be a teacher?

“When I was really little, my grandpa used to take me into his office and show me all of the rocks and plants that he had collected from traveling around the world.  He really helped me to fall in love with science, and I've always wanted to help others find things they felt they could fall in love with doing or learning about.  What better way to do this than to become a teacher myself?”

How old are you?

“I’m 24 years old.”

Where are you from?

“I've spent a lot of my life in different places (and countries), but I've spent the vast majority of my life in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  I just got to Washington right before the school year started!”

If you were invisible, what is the first thing you would do?

“Oh, that would be awesome!  If you know me, you know that I love pranks.  I would definitely use my new found powers to mess with people.  The amount of people that I could spook with this new power would be amazing!”

What’s your favorite band?

“My favorite band is easily the Pixies!  The first songs I learned on guitar and piano were by them!”

What’s your spirit animal?

“I think I'd have to say a gorilla!  They relax, eat, and hang out all day.  It sound like my kind of life!”

What’s your dream vacation spot?

“I've gone on a lot of amazing trips so far, but one place that I haven't gone yet, but have always wanted to explore were the ice caves in Iceland!”

What’s your favorite element on the periodic table?

“I've never actually given this one a ton of thought.  I think I'm going to have to say silicon because it is one of the most important elements in the Earth's crust, and it make up one of the prettiest minerals in the world, kyanite”.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?

“This is a tough one so I think that I'm going to cheat a little bit.  I think that I would have to pick cheeseburgers because there are so many different ways that you can make them so I'd still be able to have a little variety.  They are definitely my favorite food though!”

What’s the best knock knock joke you’ve heard?

“Knock Knock
Who's there?
Interrupting Cow.
Interupt...
"MOO!!!"

Ms. Hults

What made you want to be a teacher?

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. As an only child, I remember lining up stuffed animals and running a classroom in my playroom. Throughout elementary and high school I developed great relationships with my teachers. I even got the opportunity to student teach at my former elementary school as an 11^th grader and had the time of my life! Many of my favorite teachers and mentors were also coaches who I admired so much.”

Where are you from?

“CANADA, EH?! Born and raised in White Rock, B.C Although I usually just say Vancouver, cause not a ton of people know where White Rock is (although it’s the first city right across the border!) My whole family is still up in the Vancouver area, so I can’t wait for the border to reopen so I can visit family and friends again!”

What is your most-used emoji?

“The Crying laughing emoji- I have hilarious friends”

How old are You?

“Since I have to be honest. 35. They say that’s the new 25 though right?! Thankfully, teaching middle school keeps me young at heart, so I often forget how “old” I now am!”

What’s your favorite food?

“If it has carbs, it’s probably a favorite. Pasta, Pizza, Burgers, Fries, Bread, you name it! Especially Poutine! You’ll also rarely catch me without my Starbucks Iced Skinny vanilla Latte in hand!”

Would you rather live where it only snows, or where it never gets below 100 degrees?

“As long as humidity isn’t a factor, give me all the 100 degree days. In fact, every summer I usually spend some time in Las Vegas, because I love the heat!”

What’s your favorite sport to watch?

“Now this is a question I can really get into 😊  As many probably already know, I am huge into sports, as it’s also been a significant part of my life. I enjoy watching virtually any sport if it’s on tv. Even golf! I go to a lot of MLB games (Go Giants and Mariners), love watching softball (Which is why I still coach and have yet to give up the sport) and always look forward to the Olympics! One of my most memorable sporting memories came from attending the 2010 Vancouver Olympics where I got to attend 2 hockey games and a medal awards ceremony!”

If you could meet one person living or dead who would it be?

“Serena Williams. She’s such a talented athlete who impacted change in the tennis world. She’s still dominating on the court and has always been up front in interviews which I respect. I’d love to hear about her experiences and stories both on and off the court!”

If you could be any animal what would you be?

“Sea otter. Every time I see them, they’re sleeping, or playing and living their best life. They always appear so comfortable and content!”

Would you rather be invisible or be able to read minds?

“I’d love to read minds! I struggle reading into people and knowing what they’re thinking often, so that would help immensely!”

Mr. Leutzinger

Where are you from?

“Ferndale, Michigan”

How older are you?

“30 years old”

What made you want to become a teacher?

“My middle school Social Studies teacher, Mr. Essian.  He was the coolest and nicest guy...he made everyone always feel so welcome.  To this day, I echo what his classroom culture was like & style of teaching.  I wanted to grow up and be just like him.  In college, one of my college professors, Professor Staron, continued to inspire me and reassured me that I was in the right profession.  All in all, I was fortunate enough to have amazing teachers growing up and I want to return the favor to our future generation.”

What is your favorite book?

“Anything by Chuck Palahniuk”

What book has changed your life the most?

“Where the sidewalk ends. This book definitely got me interested in reading as a child and grew my interest in books!”

If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?

“TACOS!”

Do you have any pets?

“I have a 4 year old dog named Hugo -- fun fact: His DNA test came back inconclusive...he has officially been certified as a MEGA MUTT :) *We got our money back because this only happens to 1% of dogs tested LOL”

If you had to sing Karaoke what song would you choose and why?

“Every time I do Karaoke - I only do one song and one song only...

“Fight for your right to party - Beastie Boys”

You have your own late-night talk show, who would be your first guest and why?

“Dave Grohl [From the Band The Foo Fighters]-- he is the “mecca” of Rock & Roll and I would love to hear all of his crazy music stories...all in all, he just seems like a super cool dude.”

Where is your dream vacation spot?

“Tokyo, Japan”

Would you rather live in the ocean or on the Moon? Why?

“The moon – I would love to see our planet from this perspective.”

What’s your favorite holiday?

“Halloween - I love to pass out candy and look at all the fun costumes.”

Ms. Bucher

Where are you from?

“I’m a local, born and raised in Renton! Went to Lakeridge Elementary, Dimmitt Middle School, and graduated from Renton High School way back in 2010. “

How old are you?

“Depends on when this is released. As of writing, I am 28, but I will turn 29 on May 12th - go Taurus!”

If animals could speak, which would be the rudest?

Cats, hands down. I love them but I also feel like they would not hold back in sharing their opinions of the humans and other creatures around them.”

What made you want to become a teacher?

“I’ve always loved sharing knowledge and helping others, but it wasn’t until my senior year of college that I seriously considered becoming a teacher. I used to want to go into research and during my senior year, I was able to do research in a genetics lab while also being a TA. I realized that while I love knowledge and discovering new things, lab work is way too isolating and individually driven for me to feel fulfilled doing it. I have always enjoyed helping people and sharing my knowledge, so teaching was the natural fit that I just hadn’t ever thought of as my career. I am so glad that I came to that realization before committing to a multi-year graduate research program.”

What's your spirit animal?

“I’ve always identified with turtles - even when things get tough, they keep on going. One of my favorite memories with my mom was the time that we got to release baby sea turtles into the ocean in Guatemala.”

What’s your favorite holiday?

“Thanksgiving. Some of my favorite family traditions focus around the communal cooking for Thanksgiving and recipes that we have tweaked and treasured for decades. Our Thanksgiving prep normally starts the weekend before, putting up the turkey in its garlic marinade.”

Do you have any pets?

“3 pets - 2 cats and a dog. My dog is a 4 year old mini-aussie named Riley who makes sure that Duke Meowington (Tuxedo cat) and Ella Catzgerald (kitty posted up on my grading clipboard) stay in line. They have a strange but awesome relationship and will cuddle together on the bed, then chase each other in circles around the whole entire house.”

What’s the most ridiculous fact you know?

“As someone who deeply enjoys trivia and had the nickname “Wiki” (as in Wikipedia) in college, that is a hard one to pick. One of the most mind blowing ones I know is that while the universe is roughly 14 billion years old, it is approximately 93 billion light years across since it is expanding at an accelerating rate. Most ridiculous might go to the fact that the only sport to ever be played on the surface of the moon is golf! Or maybe that Betty White is older than sliced bread being sold in stores.”

What is something invisible you wish you could see?

“Dark matter - doesn’t interact with the electromagnetic spectrum so it is ‘invisible’ since it doesn’t reflect or absorb light. One of the biggest question marks in modern physics is figuring out what the heck is going with dark matter, which is mainly only detectable by the gravitational forces it exerts on visible matter.”

Dream Vacay?

I’d say a cruise through the Mediterranean Sea. I have always been fascinated by Greeco-Roman mythology as well as the history of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. To be able to see all of the famous sites and gorgeous views just as seafarers would’ve hundreds of years ago would be amazing. Plus, when you take a cruise you don’t need to worry about packing and unpacking or figuring out where you are going to stay. “

If you had to dress in one color for the rest of your life….

“Ooo, this is a hard one to answer. I would probably say blue or teal since it's my favorite color. Hopefully I wouldn’t be limited to just one hue of it though, I need to still have some flexibility in my life.”

Who’s your favorite Dungeons And Dragons Character?

“My favorite character would probably be Moonshine Cybin from NADDPOD, mostly because she has an awesome animal companion - the possum PawPaw”

Mr. Hoskins

What made you want to teach choir?

"I was always into music since my dad is a drummer and played in a band his whole life. I’ve played the piano since I was 5 and was involved in all the choirs in my elementary, middle and high schools. I actually wanted to join the AirForce and become an Electrical Engineer, but woke up one day my Junior year of high school and thought “Nah, I want to be a choir teacher” and never looked back!”

What is your favorite song to hear your students perform?

“Give Us Hope” by Jim Papoulis and Francisco Nunez”

What is your spirit animal?

“A Cougar (Go Cougs!)”

How old are you? 

“46”

When’s your birthday?

“April 19, 1975”

What’s your favorite food?

“Food. Just food in general, except Sushi.”

Favorite Song?

“Honestly, there are too many that are significant to me.”

Where’s your dream vacay spot?

“Somewhere on the coast with a beach to walk and sit on.”

Sweet or Spicy?

“Mildly Spicy”

What’s the closest thing to real magic in your opinion?

“Watching my students learn to perform on stage.”

Who is your role model?

“My parents-all of them. Mom, Dad and Step Mom.”

All time favorite Star Wars Character?

“All of them. I’m a bit of a Star Wars nerd.”

Favorite Childhood Memory?

“The freedom of riding bikes through my neighborhood in Elementary School. Oh, and Star Wars.”

Who would win in a fight: a 100-foot tall duck or 100 ducks?

“The 100-foot tall duck-think of the flipper on that thing!”

Mr. Harris

What’s your favorite color?

“My favorite color is blue and sometimes green”

Do you have any pets?

“ I do not have any pets-however if I did it would be a dog.”

Who’s your favorite sibling ;)

“I have 5 brothers and I like them all equally the same.”

Where did you grow up?

“I grew up in Post Falls, Idaho.”

Do you have any grandchildren?

“I have 5 grandchildren- 3 boys and 2 girls

What made you want to start teaching?

“I started teaching because I like sharing the ways that I learned”

What College did you attend?

“I attended: North Idaho College Lane Community College University of Oregon, and Whitworth College.”

What is your favorite vegetable?

“My favorite vegetable is corn.”

If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

“If I could be any animal it would be an eagle, because they fly very high and can see very well.”

If you could only eat one food for a year what would you choose?

“A food I could eat for a year would be combination pizza with all sorts of toppings.”

When is your birthday?

“My birthdate is 10 days past the Ides of March many, many years ago.”

Favorite Musician/ Band?

“My favorite musical band is the Beatles, also the Beach Boys and the Steve Miller Band.”

Mr. VanAuken

How old are you?

“28 I think”

When's your birthday?

“March 11th, 1993 so you can do the math to check my work for the question above.” 

Dream vacay spot?

“The Italian and Swiss Alps!”

What's your spirit animal?

“A monkey”

Favorite childhood memory?

“I think it would have to be playing and hanging out with childhood friends.”

Favorite food?

“Tacos or Pupusas”

Favorite song?

“Lose Your Love Tonight - The Outfield”

Who would win in a fight a 100-foot tall duck or 100 ducks?

 “The giant duck without a question.”

Do you have any pets?

“I have a kitten named bean and a boxer/pit mix baby of a dog named Zane.”

What is your favorite movie?

“Ask Mr. Khalid (Interstellar)”

Who is your role model?

“I would say my Mom”

What is one mythical creature you wish were real?

That big furry thing from Avatar with the arrow on its head. I don't know what it's called I didn't watch the show. 

Beach or Mountains?

Depends on my mood but probably the beach 7 times out of 10.

Sweet or Spicy?

Spicy

MS. WEST

What’s your favorite movie?

“This one's a hard one; it changes all the time. Titanic, The Notebook and Anastasia are favorites, but I also love anything animated and/or on Disney+. I am not into scary movies.”

How Old are you Ms. West?

“Still gripping onto my 20s as long as I can at 29!”

What made you want to be a teacher?

“I had incredible role models. I come from a family of teachers and grew up working within different schools. I used to be "voluntold" (by my mom) to help out in her teacher friends' classrooms and so it just always felt very natural to me. I put up my first bulletin board by myself when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. I originally thought I was going to move to New York City and become a Broadway star, but the teacher in me chose a different path.”

What is your favorite childhood memory?

“My favorite childhood memory is back when I was like 10 or 11 and I went out in the boat fishing with my dad and sister. It was a really odd day, and the weather was crazy. We weren't catching anything and so we decided to call it quits and head home when a school of bait fish started running around our boat (you could see that something big was chasing them because the little bait fish were jumping all over the place). I was just sitting there watching them jump around when a huge pompano (which is what we were fishing for) jumped into our boat and landed right in my lap. I remember holding it up in my arms and saying "Hey, Dad, I caught one!" which of course shocked everyone in the boat. My sister and I then argued because she believed I should throw it back since it wasn't a fair fight and I wanted to keep it because it was obviously fate. We kept it, took my picture with it - which was hanging on the wall of our local bait shop for years until the hurricane tore it down - brought the fish home, and it tasted terrible.”

What are your pets names?

“I have one floofy cat named Theodore (Theo) Who I just adore”

Drawing or Painting?

“Both, and I also love pottery, too!”

What is your favorite color?

“Purple usually,  sometimes blue”

How tall are you?

“5’5ish”

What’s your favorite holiday?

“My favorite holiday is Christmas. I love that my family gets to be together for it and we keep old traditions of my sisters' and my childhood alive.”

When is your birthday?

“January 21st; an Aquarius through and through.”

What’s your favorite food?

“Depends on the day and who's cooking it, but I love pasta of all kinds. I am also a fan of French fries (we have a firm No Fry Left Behind policy in my house) and Toaster Strudels.”

What’s your favorite meal of the day?

“Dessert”

Favorite place you’ve ever been?

“Aruba, I think. My sister was teaching there when I was 16 so I got to visit for spring break one year. It was so much fun! We went scuba diving, and I got a massive sunburn that turned into sun poisoning, but it was worth it! I have been to almost every state in the U.S. but have not had the chance to do much internationally, so traveling more outside the U.S. is on my bucket list.”

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go?

“Italy and Hawaii are at the top of my list right now.”

Spongebob or Squidward?

“Spongebob for sure, although as an adult I am beginning to understand where Squidward might be coming from.”

Thanks Ms. West!!

MS. SHAIN

Where are you from?

“Issaquah, WS

Where did you go to college?

Central Washington University-GO Wildcats!

When is your birthday?

May 18-Mount Saint Helen’s Day!

How old are you?

28 years young!

What is your favorite color?

The same as my hair-Purple!

What is your favorite movie?

Easy-Wall-E! I may have had Wall-E sheets on my bed well into High School

Have you ever ridden a unicycle?

Once, as a kid in PE. Never again. Once was definitely enough!

What came first: The chicken or the egg?

Duh, the egg. The chicken had to come from somewhere.

Sweet or Salty?

SWEET! I dare you to find anyone with a bigger sweet tooth than me.

What’s your spirit animal?

A house cat. Sleeping and eating all day? Sign me up.

If you could choose any animal as a pet, what would it be?

A miniature giraffe like in the Sprint commercials.

Who is your favorite actor?

Morgan Freeman! I don’t care if it’s just his voice narrating a documentary. If Freeman is in it, I’m watching it.

What made you want to be a teacher?

I had experiences with a lot of different math teachers growing up, some better than others. Some years I would love math and do really well, then other years I would hate the subject and do poorly. I even failed math once in High School. Eventually, I realized the teacher had the greatest influence on whether I enjoyed math or not. As an adult, I’ve become really passionate about math. Now, it’s my goal to foster a love of math in as many students as possible!

What’s your favorite hobby?

I’m actually somewhat of a gamer. If I’m not sitting at my computer or walking my doggo then you’ll find me in front of the Xbox. I even bought a projector so I can play while my husband watches TV! I’m also really into Kayaking and go-kart, but our Washington weather doesn’t let that happen very much. :(