DEN+STAR+Sign+in+and+Introductions!

Please write your name and where you teach, grade, you know all those things we want to know! Then tell us something unique about yourself! //NOTE: This wiki is Public domain for now and so please keep that in mind as you add to this wiki page!//

Welcome! Hi, my name is **Amy Frackman**. I work in the EdTech department for the Anchorage School District. I was born in Minnesota, raised in AK and then returned to Minnesota for my college education. This is my seventeenth year as a teacher, and most of my experience has been in grades 6-8. I free lance as a camera operator for Channel 2 and Arctic Media solutions, and I'm working towards a Master's in Instructional Technology with Wilkes University and Discovery Education. I don't know that there is anything unique about me. I'll have to think about that one!

Hi my name is **Jodi Doster**. I teach in Naknek at Bristol Bay Borough Middle/High School. I teach grades 8-12 biology, chemistry, earth science, physical science, and art. Something unique about myself is that when I did my research for my M.S. degree in biology I had my own alligator wrestler. I did my thesis research on a wading bird colony in Kissimmee, FL at Gatorland. My research rookery was in an alligator breeding marsh and I could not go in alone to collect data so I was assigned my own gator wrestler. I like to say to do my research I got to dance on alligators heads like John Barton did when he came to Florida as a naturalist.

Hi Jodi and other Alaskan Stars! I'm Lynnette Sullivan and I used to fly with Wien Airlines and had many friends that lived in Naknek! You had your own gator wrestler...what an occupation. Do you have any pictures? :-) I was born and raised in Hawaii I moved to Alaska in 1974. I have been teaching 20 years with the Anchorage School District. I went from 17 years in K-2 to being an EdTech teacher. Here's are 2 new favorite links to amazing digital creations! http://www.anvari.org/cols/Photoshopped_Animals.html http://spluch.blogspot.com/2007/05/weird-animals-created-using-photoshop.html

Hi my name is **Laura Eastham** I teach at Turnagain Elementary in a 5/6 combo class in the morning and a 5th grade class in the afternoon. I teach both math and language arts. My partner teacher teaches Russian language, social studies and science. I was born in Hawaii, but raised all over the USA as my dad was in the navy. Before I received my MA in Teaching I worked at an overnight shipping company for 13 years, and helped individuals and businesses get their shipments into the USA from Asia. I would help people get the required paperwork through customs so their shipments could be received when they were stuck. I've lived in Alaska since 1997, but have only been teaching for 5 years.

Hello, I'm **Marilyn Doore** and I work with Lynnette in EdTech. I've been teaching in the Anchorage School District for 13 years. I was born and raised in Alaska and lived here almost all my life, except for 10 years in Israel. I don't think I'd want to dance on alligator heads though I have been in Florida a number of times on vacation, been to Hawaii too!

Hello out there! I'm **Carol Boehmler** and I teach 3/4th grade at Sterling Elemetary in Sterling, down on the Kenai Peninsula. I am originally from Boise, Idaho, but have lived in Alaska since 1974. I backpacked for 3 months in the Brooks Range with a guy I only knew of as Eric....later he became my husband. Yup- started as strangers and ended of married...how's that for romance! We're the first marriage on the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline. We were living in a cabin at the time and the nearest preacher was on the pipeline. I've taught for 13 years. In 1986 we did ride the 13 mile looon bicyles through the Everglades and passed many alligators lying by the side of the path. They didn't move....it gave me the creeps, but it was a fabulous experience. I also swam with the manetees in Florida. Didn't plan to, but one was in the water and nearly scared me to death!

Hi, my name is **Ross Johnson**. I have lived in Eagle River, Alaska my whole life. In my teaching career, I spent my first 9 years teaching first, second, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades in the Anchorage School District. I moved into the Educational Technology Department 5 years ago and love helping teachers integrate technology into their curriculum. I have 2 hockey playing boys and a wonderful wife that also works for the district. My past jobs include commercial fishing, oyster farming, maintenance technician, and youth hockey coach. I am currently finishing up a masters degree through Wilkes University.

Hey guys, I'm **Mary St. John** and I'm the senior member of the Anchorage EdTech team. I taught in Wisconsin for 16 years before moving to Anchorage where I've taught for 20 years. And yes, if you add that up I've been teaching a very long time, since 1975. My classroom career was spent teaching vocal music at both elementary and secondary levels. While in Milwaukee I also sang with the Florentine Opera Company as a member of the opera chorus. That was lots of fun with costumes, makeup and wigs but resulted in very little sleep since I was also teaching full time during the day. It also gave me my union card for AGMA, the American Guild of Musical Artists which means it paid pretty well. In the mid 1990's I became entranced with the way technology could make my job as a teacher much easier. That led to a Masters in Education Technology from UAS and position in ASD's newly created Instructional Technology department in 1999. I'm still here and not looking to retire anytime soon.

Hi! I'm **Trisha Flanigan** and I am part of the Educational Technology Team in Anchorage.I was born and raised in South Bend, IN. For those of you who follow football, that is Notre Dame territory. I started teaching in '69 and the majority of my career has been in Title 1 schools. I have had the opportunity to teach in 3 states: Colorado, Indiana and Alaska. In '96, I joined The Anchorage School District as a Title 1 Support Teacher. Then 5 years ago I became part of the EdTech Dept. I enjoy working with teachers and supporting them as they integrate technology into their daily curriculum.

Greetings from the beautiful Copper River Basin! My name is **Tammy Van Wyhe**, and I serve as Director of Teaching and Learning Support in the Copper River School District. It's one of those small-district many-hat roles that includes everything related to curriculum, instruction, assessment, staff development, and "other duties as assigned." :) This is my 15th year in the CRSD, where I have also served as the English Language Arts teacher at Kenny Lake School and as assistant principal and principal at Glennallen School. Also taught one year in Mat-Su (Colony Middle) and one year in Anchorage (Service HS) when we first moved to AK in the early '90s. While my true passion in education will always be teaching Language Arts (especially writing), I love-love-love curriculum work...which is why the past year (our first as a Discovery Education district) has been so exciting. There is so much content available through DE to help teachers bring their lessons to life. Exciting stuff! Outside of school, my husband and I have three children (ages 22, 20, and 17), and enjoy life on a beautiful farm near Copper Center.

Hello, My name is **Matt Wetherell** and I live and work in Anchorage. I have taught in the Anchorage School District for 22 years. I began in Title I, then was a Montessori Teacher in a 1st-3rd grade, followed by Montessori Middle School. I moved to Wendler Middle School, then Highland Tech Secondary School and back to Wendler Middle School. For the past five years I was part of a team that reviewed all ASD business processes and then worked to configure a Student Information System to try to meet the needs of our district. We then created training documentation, delivered trainings and supported the end users of the system. I am currently working as an Educational Technology K-12 Coach in the ASD. I grew up in Oregon, a boy from the desert, went to College in the rain soaked Willamette Valley and then moved to Alaska shortly after graduating. I first worked as a paver when I arrived in the state,then sold office supplies, opened and managed restaurants, worked as a personal trainer and children’s program coordinator at a health club and finally as a youth counselor at a residential treatment center for children exhibiting behavior disorders. I have been an early adopter of technology since before I began teaching in 1989. I have raised my family in Alaska and have four children, the youngest graduating from High School this year. Loving learning about DE and how to assist teachers in using it with their students. One unique thing about me is I was a member of a National Championship football team in college.