Fremont Open Plan

The Fremont Open Plan is awesome! There is no ceiling placed on the learning! It is exciting to have so many caring people working toward a common goal – children becoming lifelong learners! I feel blessed to be a part of this community!

This is my 6th year teaching in the Open Plan and 19th year with Modesto City Schools. I hold a bilingual credential (Spanish) with a cross-cultural emphasis. What I like most about teaching is helping children discover answers to their own questions. I am fortunate to be working as a teaching team with Cathie and Laura! They are two very positive people with strong minds and big hearts.

On a personal note, I am married with children. My terrific wife, Denise, teaches 3rd graders at Kirschen. She is my life-partner and best friend. We have two incredible daughters, Jessica, age 17, and Emily, 12. Jessica is starting her college career at MJC. Emily is in the 7th grade at Colony Oak in Ripon. Both do well in school and are busy with their hobbies and friends. We live on a modest 5-acre ranchette with our dogs, cats, horses, donkey, pygmy goats, rats, geese, chicken and ducks. We enjoy the elbow room! My hobbies include reading, playing softball and driving my tractor.

I followed my children to Fremont Open Plan many years ago. Suffice it to say that my oldest is now teaching and my youngest has graduated college!

In the early years, I was teaching part-time for the district and had time in my week to volunteer in the classroom. The teachers I helped mirrored my own philosophy of education. I appreciated the caring, the nurturing or curiosity, and the creative space my children were given to blossom and grow. As my youngest entered Kindergarten, I began to teach in the Primary Department. I take great pride in continuing and expanding upon the learning practices I participated in so many years ago.

On a personal note, I love to read, cook and travel; heaven would be to combine all three! I consider teaching an ovation as well as a vocation and I spend much of my time exploring new ways to inspire my students. My husband and I enjoy creating our own personal space, both inside and outside, with many projects. Many have said we have our own “Peckchester” House going With my Open Plan family, my family and firends, I feel extremely fortunate.

Hi, I’m Laura, one of the three Primary teachers at Fremont Open Plan. This year is my seventh year in the Primary Department and my twenty-first year of teaching!

In my first two years of teaching, I taught math and music in a private high school in San Francisco. For twelve years after that, I taught fifth and sixth grade in Elk Grove, Clovis, and Dallas, Texas. I loved the big kids all those years. Along the way, I had kids of my own, became intrigued with early literacy and now delight in teaching the little ones!

I have a wonderful family of four. My husband is the rector at Wellspring Anglican Church in downtown Modesto. My oldest child, Kyna, is a ninth grader in the IB program at Modesto High. My son, Jimmy, is a fifth grader in the Upper Department who is obsessed with baseball. We also have a Brittany spaniel named Cavan.

In my leisure time, I like to play the piano, cook, excercise and stamp. On occasion, I play piano at our church when the keyboard player needs to be away. I love to walk on the beach, and I enjoy entertaining guests in our home.