Middle school students are some of my favorite people.  I was an 8th grade language arts teacher for 13 years in Topeka.  After leaving teaching, I went to work for the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning as an embedded instructional coach at a Topeka high school.  This work, after 13 years, led me to the KCK public schools as a Teacher Leader in a district middle school.  I loved working for KCK, but the drive from Topeka was very difficult; I spent two hours every day in the car!  As luck would have it, a position opened here in Lawrence as a middle school instructional coach, and I jumped at the chance to work in such a distinguished school district. This is my 8th year in the district and 31st year in education.