Hey, you should have known. School was around the corner, and you should have expected that at least one teacher would ask, "How did you spend your summer vacation?" Well, we've turned the tables and asked our faculty at Gateway Public Schools the same question. Turns out they were all over the map - literally!
Lucy Hilarides, Humanities Teacher, GMS - This summer was a good mix of adventure and relaxation for me. Some highlights included visiting family and friends in Chicago and driving around Baja California Sur with my best friend. We went to a tiny town called Todos Santos, which boasts buildings from the 1850s, and has been deemed a magical place by the Mexican government. This is a picture of the coast near Todos Santos looks pretty magical to me!
Angela Grimes, Learning Seminar Teacher & Test Coordinator, GHS - Summer vacation opened up an opportunity to work on creative projects. One big project was the preparation for a trip to England for the Jane Austen Festival, in Bath, England. I created an 1800-1810 wardrobe to wear to this weeklong event. No pics yet; I'm still sewing!
Greg Grossman, Humanities Teacher, GHS - I changed diapers all summer!
Diana Sanchez, Spanish Teacher, GHS - I was accepted into and participated in a professional development program teaching heritage language in a week-long workshop at UCLA. I also married my soul mate and love of my life Mr. Martinez : ) We went to Puerto Rico on our honeymoon.
Suzanne Herko, Humanities Teacher, GMS - We spent an incredible three weeks with family exploring some historical spots and monuments on the East Coast. During this time were pulling an RV trailer - the same one I travelled in with my parents when I was growing up!
Racquel Huerta, Learning Specialist, GMS - I had a great summer; I became engaged. =) We took a family trip to Southern California, which included Disneyland and ballparks in LA and San Diego. While there, I met up with my GMS colleagues for a conference and then took an evening trip to Tijuana to have dinner at Hotel Caesar's, where they invented the first Caesar's Salad.
Chad Slife, Assistant Principal, GMS - Glaciers, grizzly bears, bald eagles, moose, whales, and daylight at 3am filled my summer vacation as I traveled to Alaska for the first time. While in the 49th State, I also ran the Mayor's Midnight Sun Half Marathon in Anchorage. I spent the rest of my summer with family in Southern California and plenty of time with friends and colleagues in San Francisco.
Rebecca Reiss, Math Teacher, GHS - I spent a couple weeks in Canada (Muskoka County), and stayed in a summer cottage literally 30 feet from the cleanest lake I've ever seen. I drove a speedboat for the first time, and made my best attempts at wakeboarding. The town we were visiting is connected via canals, so it was really cool to take the boat out to dinner instead of a car or bus!
Abby Poats, Math & Science Teacher, GMS - My summer highlight was putting on my student hat at the Exploratorium's Teacher Summer Institute. I was very lucky to explore many of the museum's fascinating exhibits (relating to sound, physics, light and perception) and remember what it's like to be an 8th grade student (not only an 8th grade teacher)!
Catherine Clobucker, Librarian & Creative Writing Teacher, GHS - This summer was one of my best in recent history! I spent a month traveling around Europe, visited four countries, met incredible people, saw beautiful buildings, and learned the valuable history of each place. Traveling makes me a better teacher and a better human being.
Tim Woolgar, Science Teacher, GHS - My summer was spent with my family. My parents came to visit from England, and then we had a trip to British Columbia with lots of hiking, biking, and swimming. Of course, I enjoyed plenty of the World Cup, although the less said about England's performance the better.