1. What is one item on your bucket list?
I would love to go to Egypt. I would definitely cruise up the Nile, visit the pyramids in the Valley of the Kings, ride a camel, and see Alexandria.

2. What book are you currently reading?
I love to read. I currently have three books sitting on my nightstand- Pendragon Book Five: Black Water by D.J. MacHale, The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill, and The Titan’s Curse in the Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan.

3. Who is your mentor? Why?
My mentor was Dr. Ruth Reed. She was my biochemistry professor at Juniata College. She taught me to stand up for myself. She also went above and beyond with her support after I left college. She regularly sent me care packages when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Papua New Guinea. I actually brought home two of my favorite books from her care packages: Personal History by Katherine Graham and The Secret History by Donna Tartt. She also transcribed my hand written letters and circulated them via e-mail.

4. What would your superpower be?
My superpower would be the ability to read minds to be able to anticipate how I can be of service.

5. Where is the best place you have traveled to and why?
I travel a lot. During the school year, we have a six time zone rule. We can’t travel anywhere that is more than six time zones away. My husband is always one to push limits so he has found that he can still get us on an 11 hour flight by simply going south. We have traveled through a lot of South and Central America as a result. I loved Argentina. We spent Christmas there a number of years ago. The sun was up until midnight. The country offered so much diversity. We got to swim in the desert, hike on glaciers, and visit penguin rookeries on the windy Trelew peninsula. The food was also amazing. Out at the Trelew peninsula we ate at this little restaurant where they cooked table side on a mini charcoal grill. The lamb was lovely. The seafood on the coast was outstanding, too!

6. If you could do any job for just one day what would it be?
I would work in the kitchen at El Bulli under Ferran Adria. El Bulli is located in Spain and is known as one of the most experimental restaurants in the world. I would need to work on my Spanish and my knife skills!

7. Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I swam competitively through college. My specialties were backstroke and distance. I was the crazy one swimming back to back events. Luckily, both my high school and college teams ran concurrent boys’ and girls’ meets so I had a boy’s event in between the 500 free and the 100 back.

8. What is your favorite thing about Meadowbrook?
My favorite thing about Meadowbrook is the people. The students are full of energy. The staff is very caring.

Lindsey Wooler:  Music Teacher

1. What is one item on your bucket list?

I want to visit Jerusalem and see the rich historical sites.

2. What book are you currently reading?

Mattimeo by Brian Jacques. It’s a great story about mice, badgers, crazy rabbits, and much more!

3. Who is your mentor? Why?

My voice teacher from college, Dr. Shockey. He is a wonderful musician, teacher, and friend. I have learned so much from him about pursuing musical excellence, teaching well and clearly, and doing everything with consistency and intention.

4. What would your superpower be?

I would love to have super awesome reflexes and strength like Captain America.

5. Where is the best place you have traveled to and why?

That is hard to say because I have traveled a lot. If I have to pick, Venice was my favorite place. I loved the architecture, the food, and the culture! The city is beautiful and exceeded my expectations.

6. If you could do any job for just one day what would it be?

I would like to be a marine archaeologist. I am fascinated by the oceans and would love to study some of our history underwater!

7. Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

I have had the opportunity to visit five out of the seven continents. I’m still working on Australia and Antarctica!

8. What is your favorite thing about Meadowbrook?

My favorite thing about Meadowbrook is definitely the community. I do not feel like one isolated teacher, but rather that I am part of the bigger fabric of the Meadowbrook school. The teachers, administrators and other staff members have been very kind and helpful to me in my first year at Meadowbrook and the students are wonderful! I wake up each day excited and I truly feel blessed to teach here!

Mrs. Brittany Mercer

Fourth Grade Teacher

1. What is one item on your bucket list?

Travel to the Philippines to visit my husband’s family

2. What book are you currently reading?

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

3. Who is your mentor? Why?

My mom because she is the strongest person I know and my best friend.

.4. What would your superpower be? 

Being able to fly so I can get to work faster and be able to visit more places in the world

5. Where is the best place you have traveled to and why?

Maui for our honeymoon.

6. If you could do any job for just one day what would it be?

Perform in a Broadway show

7. Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

I used to sing in a jazz band.

8. What is your favorite thing about Meadowbrook?

The Thanksgiving feast where we truly come together and are thankful for everything we have at our wonderful school and in our individual lives.

In nearly 20 years working with students, I don’t think I have ever been so touched as I was this morning. At the Meadowbrook School Assembly, a 6th grader (whose name I won’t mention, because we live in a technological era when online safety fails to protect us from the evildoers who lurk in our world-wide-web) sang an emotional rendition of, In This Moment – a song written in tribute to teachers by music composer, KC Gan. What I found so remarkable was that this student’s parents both work at Meadowbrook and knew their daughter was performing, yet, still could not hold back their tears. In fact, about 120 children from 3 years of age to 12 looked on in awe as the Shuttleworth Gymnasium transformed into a serene concert hall.

From the first note to the final, “thank you” the audience was completely mesmerized. No longer were kids asking to use the restroom or fidgeting in their seats. Teachers reached for tissues as the student body watched their role models weep all around them. Yes, for about 3 minutes (this sweet, adorable girl – who will remain anonymous) managed to express in a song what every teacher years for…appreciation! Had I heard the lyrics to this piece before, then I might not have been so moved; however, I am grateful this venue was how I was introduced to such inspiration.

I’ll keep this note short and sweet…when a beautiful singing voice is the only sound you hear in a crowded elementary school gym, then you know something magical is happening inside. Later tonight, in front of her classmates, peers, grandparents and other adults, a brave young lady will say thank you to her teachers once again…in a peaceful, delicate, emotional serenade that epitomizes her deep appreciation. We should all be as fortunate as this girl’s parents to have someone say thank you in such a profound and heartfelt manner.

Thank you, K! I share your appreciation with all my colleagues and teachers around the world.

This week we caught up with 2nd grade teacher Kelly Mosteller,  and she happily answered a few questions for our teacher spotlight.  Here is what she shared with us!

1. Tell us about your family .
I have a wonderful husband, Jim, of almost 19 years who I can thank Mrs. Fletcher and Meadowbrook for bringing us together over 20 years ago. My son Eric is 14 years old and Kayla is 12. Eric is a Meadowbrook alum and Kayla will be graduating this coming June. I have truly been blessed to have shared so many special memories with them throughout their years at Meadowbrook. We also have two border collie dogs, Sparky and Kira.

2. What is one item on your bucket list?
Travel to Italy and Switzerland one day

3. What book are you currently reading?
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

4. Who is your mentor? Why?
My mentor dates back to my last year of college. During my student teaching experience I had an amazing cooperating teacher who taught me so many valuable lessons that I still use in my classroom today.

5. What would your superpower be?
My superpower would be to travel at the speed of light. If I had this superpower I could accomplish the things that need to be done at a faster pace and then be able to spend more time with my family and friends. It would also allow me to travel all over the world to see the many places I would love to experience, especially the two places on my bucket list.

6. What is your favorite thing about Meadowbrook?
Wow, this is a difficult question! After being at Meadowbrook for over 22 years, there are so many favorite things. One of them is that I love watching the children develop into leaders and confident students as they progress through the years. Meadowbrook gives the children so many opportunities to speak in front of others, through sharing projects in their classrooms to leading a school-wide assembly. It is one of those things that can only be built through experience.