I grew up in Pakistan and have been in the US since 2006. I completed my undergrad at Purdue University, Indiana and earned a Masters degree in teaching at University of Georgia. I have been teaching Kindergarten at Blaine for six years, and continue to be in love with the age group! I love working at Blaine because of the supportive staff and community. I live with my husband in West Seattle.
I grew up on Bainbridge Island, WA and have lived in Seattle for the past 16 years. I've been teaching middle school at Catharine Blaine for the past 13 years. I have also worked at Nathan Hale High School and Denny Middle School. This year I will be teaching 8th grade US History and 7th grade Ancient Civilizations and Washington State History. I will be returning as the the ASB Advisor for the 2019-2020 school year. At the University of Washington I studied American History with a focus on the Jacksonian Era as well as Comparative Politics. I feel fortunate that I actually get to use my academic background at work everyday. I love teaching middle school. My primary goal for your children, beyond sharing the wonderful world of history with them, is to help grow them into confident and kind young adults. We will work on developing strategies for self-reflection, independence and growth accountability.
I will be teaching seventh and eighth grade English language arts here at Catharine Blaine. This will be my ninth year with Seattle Public Schools, and my teaching history includes teaching both language arts and social studies with middle school. My undergraduate degree is in international studies, and my graduate degree is in education. I am looking forward to supporting my students with analytical and creating writing skills, and inspiring them in their reading lives!
When I am not feverishly searching for the best teenage reads; I spend time with my family, practice guitar, and organize vacations any chance I can get! I have two children who attend Blaine, so I get to follow them around and embarrass them with all my motherly love. I also smother my rambunctious dog, who really enjoys smothering me back.
Please feel free to contact me with all your questions, compliments, and concerns.
This is my 8th year teaching 4th grade at Catharine Blaine K-8 with Seattle Public Schools. I have a Masters in Teaching from Seattle University and am Nationally Board Certified. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, hiking, and reading.
I have been teaching at Blaine since 2004. I have taught 1st grade and also spent time as Reading Specialist and House Administrator. I am currently teaching elementary special education and love supporting kids in our inclusion based program in their homeroom classes.
Dunn, Carolyn
Administrative Secretary, Athletic Coordinator, Yearbook Editor and ASB Fiscal
I'm looking forward to the return of full-time, in-person school on September 1st! The past 18 months have been incredibly challenging for our students, families, and staff. As a community, we've shown incredible resiliency and we're ready to come together again to continue growing and learning together.
The students, parents, and teachers at Catharine Blaine are great to work with and I love to see kids every day. Before coming to Catharine Blaine I worked most recently as a math curriculum specialist for the school district, helping to adopt a new middle school math curriculum and working with primary grade teachers to implement effective mathematics instruction. Prior to that job, I taught middle school math for eight years at Hazel Wolf K-8 and taught a 5th/6th elementary class at Summit K-12 for two years.
My philosophy as an educator is that schools should nurture the personal and academic growth of each student, while working to dismantle societal barriers based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or economic status. I believe that students should be taught explicit skills to monitor their own learning and that feedback should emphasize strengths rather than weaknesses.
A little bit about me - I live in Ballard with my lovely wife, Heidi the
Wonder Dog, and two cats (Mushu and Mika). My two daughters are both off at college (Go Vikings! Go Rainbow Warriors!). I like to get outdoors whenever I can for hiking,
backpacking, canoeing, camping, or working on our 40 acres of off-grid property near Entiat. One of my goals is to section hike the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington (146 miles done so far).
I grew up over on Vashon Island and have a couple of degrees from the University of Washington.
If you read this far, and can guess what country I was born in, you get 1,000 bonus points. (Hint: While the country is very well-known for its army, it has no navy!) If you have time to kill, you can find me on Instagram @ballardgray.
This is my 16th year teaching 4th grade at Catharine Blaine. I am originally from Syracuse, NY, but have been living in the amazing Northwest for over 20 years. Prior to Blaine, I taught at the middle school level for seven years and worked as a math coach for one year. I have two children who are now in high school, and who are also Blaine graduates. In my spare time you can find me reading, spending time with friends and family, or taking long walks with my dogs.
Blaine is not just a work place but a second home to me. This is my 22nd year teaching at Blaine. I also live in Magnolia with my husband, 2 kids, and puppy and enjoy being part of this vibrant community. Teaching second graders is magical - they are all hard working, loving, and curious. I'm excited for another fun year to grow with my students!
