Greetings Crew!

 

I’m Melissa England, 8th Grade English Language Arts and Expedition teacher. I am thrilled to be starting my fifth year at Renaissance Secondary School. I am very proud to say I have been a member of the crew since day one! I have always worked in education and began my Renaissance experience at Renaissance Elementary as a parent and staff member almost ten years ago!

 

I grew up in Colorado and attended the University of Missouri. After a move to Chicago I realized my heart will always be close to the mountains and made my way back home. I live in Castle Rock with my husband and two teenage kids.  As a family we love to ski, hike and enjoy the outdoors with our two dogs, Sadie and Westly.  I am an avid yogi and try to practice yoga daily. This summer my son and I started running together, which I have so enjoyed!

 

The mission and vision of Renaissance Secondary speaks to everything I believe as an educator and human being. Respect, integrity, stewardship, empathy, being of service and perseverance are not just our Habits of Crew but also my personal tenants in life. I do my best to incorporate these traits into my work in the classroom and love developing partnerships with students where we both grow and learn. I am so excited for this year and can’t wait to work with students in the areas of reading, writing and communication.  As educator Paulo Freire said, “Only through communication can human life hold meaning” and I hope this year we will grow and learn through our words and thoughts!