Ever since stepping into this role as a long-term substitute teacher in January of 2018, I have felt extremely welcome to this community. I immediately knew that this was a wonderful place to live, teach, and learn. As a teacher, I hope to foster this sense of inclusion for all students to feel welcome and learn.

As a teacher, I want to inspire people and share my passion for the Spanish language. I want my students to recognize their endless possibilities and realize all that they can accomplish. Most importantly though, I want kids to leave my class remembering to always “Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Resourceful!”

My favorite thing about working in Fruitport is getting to work with all the creative minds that walk through our doors.

I never thought I would become a high school teacher.  I spent eight years teaching elementary students with severe emotional problems.  But when I needed a break from the physical requirements of the program, I decided to make the leap to the secondary level.  It has been one of the best choices of my teaching career.

What I love about teaching is entertaining a curious mind.  Witnessing student progress from raw beginnings to contributing members of society is very rewarding.

The thing I love most about teaching at Alternative is restoring a student's faith in education.  It is very rewarding to watch a student have a change of heart when it comes to their feelings about school and their future.  

I was born in Muskegon, Michigan to a close and caring family of six. I have two older sisters and a younger brother. My parents have been happily married for over forty years and continue to play an active role in the lives of their children and grandchildren. They raised my siblings and me in a home full of warmth and selfless love. Coming from a strong, stable family equipped me with the character, confidence, and life skills I needed to set goals and pursue my dreams. 

I have been a part of the Fruitport family since 2001 and have enjoyed every year, from my first few years teaching middle school English to my now many years teaching English at all levels in the high school. Whether it is teen lit or Shakespeare, contemporary poetry or film, I am excited to share my love of language and literature with young people and help them see the value of reading and responding to literature in our culture. My firm belief is that if Americans read more, our country would simply be better.

I have been educating students at Fruitport High School since 1997 and coaching tennis here in the district since 1995.

When the opportunity presented itself to work at Fruitport High School, I could not contain my excitement.  
I have lived in Fruitport my whole life and graduated with the class of 1999. Tim, my husband, also went to Fruitport. We have four amazing children who have all been, or currently are, part of the Fruitport School Community. Chase graduated in 2020, Daiton in 2024, Liam is an incoming Freshman and Paisley will be in fifth grade at Beach. Our kids participate in several sports. When I'm not working, you can usually find me at an athletic event. 

Fruitport is home for me. The amazing people in the Fruitport community have taught and given me so much. I'm eager to give back to all of my students and instill the same confidence, knowledge, and passion into them as my previous teachers did for me! 

I feel that returning to Fruitport to teach and work for this community was my calling.  The heart and soul of the high school is built upon creating positive and influential student and staff relationships.  I take great pride in seeing former students and hearing their stories of success.

I am so excited to be part of the Fruitport community. I will be looking forward to sharing my passion for STEM. I aim to develop a classroom environment that allows students to be curious, open and grounded but not judgmental. This allows for students to question, grow and learn from their mistakes without fear. These developed skills and attributes lead to students that make good judgments which is the foundation of a good citizen for our community.
"Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse, isn't it?  If you're comfortable while you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong." -Ted Lasso

I earned a bachelor's of science in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Tech along with certification to teach both science (DX) and mathematics (EX) at the secondary level.  

I especially enjoy teaching economics where my students can find direct links from the material to the everyday activity of life. 

I have been proud to be a Fruitport High School English teacher ever since I was hired in 2000. I love my job, I love the Fruitport Community, and I love words. Where else would I want to be? I am home. 

I love being back home at Fruitport! After living out of state for years, it is great to return to my "roots." As a graduation advocate, I am blessed to be able to build relationships and help guide young people to success at Fruitport High School.

As a 1994 Fruitport graduate, I am proud to not only have worked here fora very long time but I married a Fruitport graduate and also have both of my children attend Fruitport Schools.  

Becoming a teacher in my hometown is very rewarding. I began working at Fruitport in 2014. Each day I enter the classroom, I truly feel entirely invested in the future of my students. There is something positively special and unique about Fruitport Community Schools and Fruitport students.

I am a true believer that a teacher plays many roles. They are mentors, coaches, guides, and role models. They help students through the most difficult, challenging, and rewarding times of their lives.

I love teaching because I have the opportunity to help students discover their unique strengths and achieve goals they never thought possible. Watching them grow and succeed makes every day rewarding. 

I earned my bachelor's degree from California State University, Long Beach, and my master's degree in Special Education for Mild to Moderate Disabilities from National University in Costa Mesa, California. My teaching journey has taken me across California and Wisconsin, where I have taught at both middle and high schools. Currently, I am proud to be a part of the team at Fruitport High School. Here, I provide support in Science subjects, including Biology, Physics, and Chemistry, and I also teach students with Mild Cognitive Disabilities (MiCI).

When I'm not working, my three kids keep me very busy with their activities, which include baseball, football, hockey, soccer and figure skating. In my free time, I love to garden and bake sourdough bread, which are both relaxing and fulfilling hobbies for me. Additionally, traveling is a passion of mine, and I enjoy exploring new places whenever I get the chance.

“Every child had a different learning style and pace.  Each child is unique, not only capable of learning but also capable of succeeding.” - Robert John Meehan

I am a 1986 graduate of Fruitport High School.  After I earned an Associates’ Degree in Tool and Die design from Muskegon Community College.  I then continued at Ferris State University where I majored in Industrial Technology Education and earned a Bachelor's Degree.

I started teaching at Fruitport in 2018, and this is the school and position that I was meant to be in.  

To say that I bleed navy and white might be an understatement. With two parents as former Trojans, I consider myself fortunate to be able to live and work in the great community of Fruitport.  I believe growing up in this community has equipped me strong values, a great work ethic, and a great education. I look forward to raising my kids in the same place that has given me so much.

My high school marketing teacher made a lasting imprint on my life and career choices. He introduced me to the creativity of advertising, the freedoms of entrepreneurship, and the competitiveness of DECA.  

I love sharing with others that my path to becoming a school counselor was a very long and winding road; 15 years long, in fact. Despite the time, I would not go back and change any part of the journey. I am who I am because of the entirety of my academic, personal and professional experiences.  This whole-person perspective, we are who we are because of our intersectionality (cultural, personal, social, emotional, religious, etc) and shared experiences, is how I approach my work with students. I have real conversations with them, reminding them to 'tell me what they have to say, not what they think I want to hear.'

As a teacher, my hope is to spark an interest in Spanish and/or other languages, and to show the many advantages of being bilingual in today's world.  I love to see my former students benefitting from their study of Spanish…both professionally and personally!

I started at Fruitport when I was in third grade at Edgewood in 1980, so you can say I’ve been here a long time. John Kraley was at that time the Art instructor and he made such an impression on me that I wanted someday to become an art teacher. After graduating from Fruitport, I went on to college getting my teaching degrees from Hope College and Michigan State University.

I love kids and I love science.  It was natural for me to choose this career.  Each day for numerous years I have walked into the door at Fruitport High School and been happy to do my job teaching kids about Chemistry, Science, and Life.  I support the vision of Fruitport High School, where our goal is to prepare students to be responsible, respectful, productive citizens in an ever-changing, global society.  

Fruitport's focus on character values in addition to academics is a clear strength, and something I am ecstatic to be involved with.

I love my job as a teacher because I find great joy in building things with others and there is nothing more worth building than a wealth of knowledge and experience. 

I am a Speech-Language Pathologist that provides services at the elementary and secondary level and believe communication is the essence of life!

Inspiring the love of reading and the use of technology by means of working with students and staff in the development of a user-friendly library media center is an extremely rewarding experience.

Bio Coming Soon

I began my teaching career in 2010 on the other side of the state.  I am very fortunate that in 2015 a Math/Science position opened up at Fruitport.  This has been an amazing district to work for and look forward to many more years here!

It is my goal as the athletic director to help our students achieve their fullest potential in athletics, the classroom, and in the community.  

What I love about teaching is making connections and building rapport with students.  This creates a positive environment where students feel welcome and supported in their math education.  "The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." (William Arthur Ward)

As a teacher here at Fruitport, I want to make sure that I am empowering students with a growth mindset and allow students to truly be themselves within the classroom.

Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~Albert Einstein

My philosophy has always been, “Teach them well and let them lead the way”.  Every classroom presents a unique community of learners that varies not only in abilities, but also in learning styles. My role as a teacher is to give students the tools and strategies with which to cultivate their own gardens of knowledge.  

Hello! I am the middle and high school choir director and am so excited to share my love and passion for music with the Fruitport community. Students are loved and cared for in the choir classroom and gain an appreciation for music, as well as music literacy and vocal technique skills. 

James Comer states that "no significant learning can occur without a significant relationship." I strongly believe this statement and strive to make worthwhile connections with my students in order to make the most out of their music education.

Bio Coming Soon!

When people ask me about Fruitport Community Schools, I tell them we are a true COMMUNITY school.  Fruitport students and staff are accepting of others despite differences.  Former students return to teach and to send their own kids to school here.  Fruitport is a place where we support each other in good times and bad.  I am proud to be part of it!

Greetings Trojan Nation! I truly love my job and feel fortunate to work with a great group of students and staff. I look forward to going to work everyday - REALLY! I feel fortunate to have a profession where I have a chance to help people and make a difference everyday. I am advocate for all students - even if it is sometimes unpopular. Ruby Payne one said, "We must neither excuse them or scold them; we must teach them." This is one of my favorite quotes and one which helps guide me everyday.

Growing up in Clinton, Iowa (on the banks of the mighty Mississippi) I was privileged to attend a great public school system where I was involved in sports and music. I loved high school then and I still love it now.

I still love the excitement I see on student’s faces every time they successfully communicate in Spanish. If you visit my classroom, you will notice that I teach my class almost entirely in the target language (Spanish). Don’t worry, it sounds intense, but the students love it and are up to the challenge.  I strive to make learning valuable and fun just like my experience in school.

I love teaching my students about our country and its government and have a deep commitment to helping educate our students in becoming informed, thoughtful citizens.

I have been teaching at Fruitport High School since 1996. My original plan was to teach two years to gain experience and then find a job in the Grand Rapids area where I was born and raised. I quickly changed my mind when I realized what a neat community Fruitport is and I loved working with the students. I tell everyone I meet that the typical Fruitport student is a really good kid, respectful to adults and genuinely caring toward their peers.

“Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I’ll understand!”  Hands on learning is my philosophy to any educational experience.

Hi everyone!  When it comes to what I love about education, I absolutely love the moment of recognition when a student finally “Gets It”.  I also have a passion for mathematics and I really enjoy sharing that passion with my students.

I am excited to be part of the Fruitport community! Prior to coming to Fruitport, I taught in a non-traditional classroom for at-risk students. Those students taught me the importance of building good relationships and being an advocate for students who struggle in school. It's always important to remember, "Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or in the same way." (George Evans)

I am passionate about counseling and social work as it allows me to meet with students to identify their needs and barriers to success. I enjoy working together with students on how to break those barriers so they can reach their full potential. My favorite quote is, "When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts."  -Dalai Lama

I love our MOCI students and the family atmosphere in our classrooms and the high school. I feel valued and appreciated by my colleagues. 

I started working at Fruitport Schools in 1988 as a co-op student in the Community Education Office.  I attended Muskegon Community College and earned my Associates Degree in 1990.  After graduating college, I was hired in to Fruitport as a full time employee in Community Education.  I am currently working in the Middle School Office.

I love teaching mathematics and watching students gain confidence and ability in the subject. I am a formative assessment coach,  a member of our School Leadership Team, a member of our Facilities Committee, and a parent of two Fruitport Trojans.  

I began my teaching career at FHS in 2003 and have never left. I teach Honors World History, World History, and US History.  I began to really enjoy history at an early age hearing stories from my grandparents about their experiences in WWII. From then on, I’ve been fascinated by all things old, seeing human patterns of growth throughout history, and genuinely being curious about how history has shaped the here-and-now.