Thomas Jefferson Middle School

THE GIRL

• born in Norman, Oklahoma, and grew up in Pryor, Oklahoma (Just South of the McDonald's over the road on Highway 44.)
• attended Pryor Public Schools
• attended Rockhurst University- received a B.S. in Education in 1997 and a Master of Integrated Humanity and Education, in 1999.
•  My 2nd Master's Degree in Leadership from William Woods was obtained in 2022. 
• married in 1998, to Ben DeFeo, you may find his picture next to awesome in the dictionary.
• 3 kids- A Senior Engineering Student at Mizzou, a Sophomore Health Science Major at Mizzou, and a Freshman Baking and Pastry Student at Johnson and Wales in Charlotte, NC. 
• I have 2 corgis- Jack (age 9) and Archer (age 5), their favorite things to do are eat, "murder", and sleep upside down.

The Teacher

• taught for 3 years at Notre Dame de Sion Lower School in Kansas City, MO
• taught at St. Joseph Cathedral School for 2 years in Jefferson City, MO
• I am starting my 22nd year at Thomas Jefferson Middle School!
• This is my first year as an Instructional Coach!
• a two-time finalist for Teacher of the Year in 2007 and 2009
• multiple grant recipient from the Jefferson City Public Schools Foundation
• 2011 JCPS Teacher of the Year ( I have been nominated multiple times since, but our district only allows you to win once in your career.)
• 2011 State Teacher of the Year Finalist

RANDOM THINGS

• I collect Comic Art. My favorite character is Wonder Woman.
• Oh, wait, I am Wonder Woman.
• My superhero training has taken the form of Tae Kwon Do. I am a recommended Brown belt. I love to spar!
• I love to bake extreme cakes and I bake thousands of cookies at Christmas.
• I love Sonic 44 oz. Ice Teas.
• I have a healthy addiction to graphic t-shirts. I also have a pretty extensive collection of tennis shoes.
• I love to read. Since the beginning of 2023, I have read 47 books. 
• I love watching baseball (Go Cards!) and football (Go Mizzou! and Go Chiefs!)
• I love to travel. My favorite trip was a trip to Disneyland and LA to visit friends with my kids in 2019.  
• My husband and I love his 67' Firebird.  I am learning how to take apart and put together cars. 
• I collect people.  I have "met in person" friends on 6 continents.  
  
• I have met a ton of celebrities and have lots of stories. 
• I once held a funeral for a toad who died in my classroom, when I taught 4th grade.
• AND OH I LOVE MUSIC! I can't play an instrument or sing well, but I danced for 23 years as a student and instructor, so I love listening to all genres and feeling the motions and emotions of music.