Amy St. John

Ms. St. John has been a part of the Graland team for 11 years. She served as a long-term sub in Middle School wellness, then shifted to Lower School. After supporting several teachers in Grades 2-4, Amy became a lead teacher in fourth grade in 2019. Before joining the Graland team, Ms. St. John taught fourth grade in Littleton and spent several years as an IT project and program manager, managing teams and projects on three continents.

 

Building strong connections with students helps us grow and go further and weather the bumps with mutual respect and compassion. I strive to honor the individuality of each learner, leveling the playing field by individualizing my instruction. Students in my class should feel safe, appreciated, and challenged. 

 

My participation in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity cohort has strengthened my ability to connect with families and students who experience the world differently than I do. I devour literature, both fiction and nonfiction that expand my awareness. I humbly commit to this never-ending pursuit. 

 

I start each school year by creating a culture of risk-taking and bravery in my classroom. We dive deeply into understanding how brains work, how and when learning occurs, the benefits of a growth mindset, and how to become comfortable with struggle. Regardless of the knowledge and skills students bring to fourth grade, they only advance through mistakes and failure. We share mistakes and give ourselves permission to change our thinking as we develop. The relief students feel when they know there is no shame in errors is visible on their eager faces.

 

I am interested in becoming involved in the support of newly arrived immigrants in our community. I am also interested in bringing data analysis skills into my mathematics instruction, as I believe there is power in data if we're educated about how to use it.

 

I was a member of my father's pit crew as he pursued his place in the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame, racing snowmobiles.

 

Bringing my passion for animal welfare to life, I adopt rescue animals and volunteer with Soul Dog, organizing adoption events. I have spent countless hours managing fundraising events for the local public schools my son attended. My biggest success was raising $100,000 for his elementary school in one auction!

 

Service Learning team member, creating a new program in fourth grade to help students become allies of the disabled.

 

2013

 

Bachelor's in Elementary Education, Anderson University