Chris graduated from Cocoa Beach High School, then received her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Pathology/Audiology from Florida State University, and her Master’s Degree in Deaf Education from the University of North Florida. She taught in Duval and Putnam counties before coming to Orange County Public Schools in 1989. For the past 28 years, Chris has worked with Deaf/Hard of Hearing children at Lake Sybelia Elementary, first as the speech clinician, then as a classroom teacher. She currently teaches preschool in the Total Communications Program. Chris received her National Board Certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist in 2003 and served as a Master Teacher with the DeafEd.Net Join Together Project. Outside of her school life, Chris enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, doing yoga, interpreting at her church and spending time at the beach.
Finding Our Voices
August 17, 2017
Through my district’s Teacher of the Year process, I told myself that no one would see the value in what I do compared to the other fine teachers on that stage. I teach PreK, for goodness sake! People think all we do is play! The other finalists taught AP classes and led outstanding clubs and committees. However, on the night of the awards ceremony, one of my fellow finalists said something that helped me to see it all from a different perspective. “We all work with kids who choose to learn, we just help them achieve more. You help your…
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