Miss Emily Drake

Phone: (208)855-4300

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

Associates Degree: Ricks College B.S: Brigham Young University Many additional credits in: history, art, technology, and etc. Freedoms Foundation Graduate Programs: Civil War East, Revolutionary War North, Revolutionary War in the Middle States 2012, 2013, 2014 Horace Mann Lincoln Fellowship Scholar 2013 National Endowment of the Humanities Seat of War and Peace Workshop (Ford's Theater) 2015 Mickelson Exxon Mobil Teacher Academy (MEMTA) 2015

Miss Emily Drake

August 10, 2015

 Dear Students, Parents, and Families,

     Welcome to 4th Grade at Mary McPherson Elementary!  My name is Emily Drake, and I am so excited that your child is going to be in my class this year.   I have some very exciting plans for this year, and I am thrilled that your child will be a part of it all!  We are going to have the best year ever! 

    This is my 18th year at Mary Mac, and my 3rd year of teaching 4th grade. Before my years in 4th grade,  I taught 3rd grade for 15 years.  I am so excited to teach this year's group of great kids. It is going to be amazing!!
 
     I love working at Mary McPherson Elementary!  We have the best students, the best staff, and the best parents! It is truly an honor and a privilege to interact with such wonderful people.  This is a great place to go to school, and I hope that your child will be very happy here in the 4th grade.  
 
    I am so excited to teach 4th grade again this year.  I love Idaho History!  It is such a fun topic, and I have some great ideas that I hope will help your child to love history as well.  I have learned that history is the study of human nature, and I have found that it is important to study the decisions made by those who came before us. We will be participating in some really amazing history activities this year. 
       
    This summer, I was privileged to be chosen for the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teacher Academy in New Jersey.  This was the best training that I have ever attended.  It was STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) taught by amazing teachers from all over the country.  I am so excited to share what I have learned with your child.  We will be exploring, problem solving, inquiring, reasoning, and thinking in new ways.  I can't wait!!!
 
    A little background information about me— I grew up all over the West (Utah, California, Colorado, and Idaho).  I spent most of my growing up years in Weiser, Idaho. My parents still live there.  I have fabulous parents, four younger brothers, four sister-in-laws, an honorary sister and her husband, 6 beautiful nieces, and 6 amazing nephews. We also have 2 on the way!  It is amazing how much my family has grown in the last couple of years!   I love them dearly!  I graduated from Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho (it is now BYU– Idaho) and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.  My degree is in Early Childhood Education.  I have also been taking many continuing education credits with a focus on art, math, history, and technology. 

     A few of my hobbies include: being with friends and family, creating art and crafts, listening to and making music (I especially love singing), being outside (especially kayaking and camping), watching and acting in plays, reading good books, binge watching great shows on Netflix, bargain shopping, and of course.... TEACHING!!!

     I had a really busy summer!   On top of my amazing experience at MEMTA in New Jersey, I helped out at a special 4 day activity for the youth of my church, traveled to Washington, D.C. for a workshop at Ford's Theater (it was a thrill to learn about my hero Abraham Lincoln), and had a great time visiting friends and family.   

    I love working with children. Their enthusiasm and creativity inspire me daily.  I hope to foster this creativity with music, drama, creative writing, scientific inquiry, math problem solving, and art.  I am always amazed with what kids can do if they are given the opportunity to try new things.  

     Teaching is a team effort.  A solid partnership between school and home is absolutely essential.  I look forward to working with each of you as we strive together to help your child be successful this year.  I want the kids to feel like they have the ability to learn anything, and that they have the skills to meet their goals.  I love having parent volunteers in the classroom.  Having extra help in the classroom is essential for us to meet our learning goals.  I will be starting parent volunteers during the week of September 21-25.   If you are interested in coming in, please let me know.  There will be sign ups at Meet and Greet and Back to School Night.  Also, if you are interesting in helping with specialized areas like Box Tops, ART SMART, PTO events, and etc.—please indicate your interest on the student information sheet that will be coming home soon. 

     If you ever have any questions, concerns, or if you just want to tell me something that you appreciated, I can be contacted at 855-4300.  You can email me at drake.emily@westada.org.   

     I am very excited for this year, and I look forward to a wonderful relationship with your child this year.   It is going to be a great year!

Sincerely,

Miss Drake