Mrs. Verwer's New Role at Oakhill Day School

We are excited to tell you all about Mrs.Verwers's new role at Oakhill. Mrs. Verwers will be teaching Innovation Lab at the South Campus.  She is excited for all of the possibilities and opportunities to develop her students' sense of wonder and help them discover their talents. Mrs. Verwers brings real-life experience and design thinking to her classroom daily. Works to help shape Oakhill’s students into problem-solving thinkers prepared for tomorrow.  Please continue to read and learn about Mrs. Verwers.

What position did you hold prior to this current position? 

I’ve taught Pre-toddler - 8th grade at Oakhill - last year I was teaching Kindergarten thru 3rd grade in the Main Building Innovation Lab.

What made you interested in this new career opportunity? 

I’d really missed teaching in the South Building and working with the older students. I’m so excited for the projects and competitions we’ll be doing this year.  From digital citizenship to coding to animation and storytelling we’ll be creating and building skills all through the year.

What do you hope to bring to this position and/or your students?

My mission is to inspire and empower my students to be lifelong creators who create for good.  I’d like to encourage them to shift from content consumers to content creators and for them to know they really can change their world for the better.  That they can spark a positive change when they use their powers for good.

What excites you about this new position? 

All of the possibilities and opportunities to develop my students' sense of wonder and help them discover their talents.

What led you to education?  

My mom was a 2nd grade teacher and I always wanted to be like her when I grew up.  Things shifted a bit when I went to college and discovered Computer Science.  Graduated with a Management Information Systems degree and a minor in Computer Science.  I then worked in the corporate world for about 10 years before staying home when my youngest was born.  I followed him to kindergarten and worked as a special education paraprofessional for several years and knew I’d found what had been missing from my corporate job - working with children!  Long story short, I went back to school for my Master’s in Education and found the perfect job at Oakhill! I can blend my love for all things tech with my passion for teaching!  Perfection!

What is your favorite memory of school from when you were a child?

Having my mom as my teacher in 2nd grade - she’s still the best teacher I ever had!  She made everyone feel special and that what they said and did mattered.  She also understood that some of us have a lot of words and that’s ok too, we just have to use them for good.

How did you get ready/prepare for your first day of school at Oakhill Day School?

This summer I attended ISTE Live Conference virtually, attended several webinars, made lists and lists of goals and projects that I wanted to accomplish with my students and then worked really hard to pare down those lists.