Carol Frigo
Between the ages of 5 and 10, if you came to my
house to play with me, you had to play school. If no one came over, I still
played school. It didn’t matter if it was my neighborhood friends or Raggedy
Ann and Andy, we played school! (And I had to be the teacher…) Every year for
Christmas I asked for something else for my school (bed)room. I acquired a
blackboard, a pointer, books, an easel for art class, and many more teacher
tools. I was absolutely certain by age 7 that I would be a teacher when I grew
up. That was the dream and that was the plan!
Here I am at Timonium Elementary School, living the
dream! I’ve been teaching third grade here since 2006. I continue to get great
satisfaction from working with children and sharing my enthusiasm for reading,
writing, calculating and thinking. I can’t imagine life without books and the ability
to communicate thoughts and ideas with others. I enjoy helping students
discover the power and magic of words- through reading and writing! My students
know that I want them to catch the “reading bug.” They know they’ve caught the
“bug” when they can’t go through a day without reading! Reading and writing
helps us think, discover, create, imagine and unlock the wonders of our world!
Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote guides my philosophy: “Every effort must be made in
childhood to teach the young to use their own minds. For one thing is sure: if
they don’t make up their own minds, someone will do it for them.”
I grew up on the Southside of Chicago, attended
Chicago Public Schools, and graduated from the University of Illinois with a
degree in Elementary Education. All of my work experience has been in the field
of education. I’ve taught many grade levels through the years, and spent 10
years with the CollegeBound Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps
Baltimore City high school students attend college. I earned an MBA from Johns
Hopkins University in 1996.
My husband, Jon Morgan, is a journalist. We are
proud parents of three wonderful daughters.
Laurie Dungey
We have a wonderful school year ahead of us. I am
excited to be able to work and learn with you. I hope you like projects,
because this year I have planned some enriching projects and reports for you to
share with your classmates. Along with our third grade curriculum, you will
also learn some Spanish and Sign Language. We will be able to communicate in all
kinds of ways!
I have been teaching since 2001 in Baltimore County. I have always taught third
grade and I enjoy every aspect of teaching. I am happily married to a middle
school teacher who also works in Baltimore County. We have two beautiful sons,
Carter and Bryce who make each day an exciting adventure! I have my undergrad
from Goucher College and a Master’s degree in Special Education from Towson
University. I am half Chinese and I enjoy sharing my culture with my students.
I believe in hard work and setting high goals. We are all fantastic learners,
and we will learn from each other as we share our ideas with one another.
When I first thought about becoming a teacher, I
wanted to teach all kinds of students from all backgrounds. I wanted to see the
“ah-ha’s” and the spark in their eyes when the students were interested in
learning. The joy of teaching students was a dream of mine that I had since
childhood. All I have ever wanted to do is teach children.
Now after teaching for several years, I have found that my philosophy of teaching
has changed. I still enjoy the “ah-ha’s” and smiles when a student realizes
they have learned something great. I have also realized that with teaching one
needs to be patient, kind, to have unconditional love and care, be tolerant and
have the willingness to make mistakes and grow from them. As a teacher I
believe that students are at their most vulnerable and the way I teach will
influence many decisions and choices they will encounter throughout their
lives. As a teacher, I help guide students’ views on learning and
unintentionally provide them with the morals and virtues that they can use
later in life.
I believe very strongly that to understand students is to truly teach students.
I believe that the spice to effective learning is variety and a willingness to
not stick with old ways rather, to be a barrier breaker when it comes to making
the curriculum come alive and spark enthusiasm in my students.
Teaching can be a very fulfilling job and each day brings a new adventure with
new hurdles and learning to be accomplished. Not only do I teach my students,
they also teach me. I believe a good teacher listens to their students,
evaluates their learning, and is willing to change routine and try new
techniques for the well being of the students and the teacher.
Stacy Kelly
I began my college career, not with the 
hopes of becoming an educator, but with the desire to become a computer accountant. It took only a few semesters for me to realize that crunching numbers and sitting in front of a computer were not my cups of tea. With some encouragement from friends, I began taking education classes. It was during that time I became hooked on teaching .I graduated from Villa Julie College with an Elementary Education degree in December of 1995, and in the spring of 1996 I was hired as a long term substitute for a second grade classroom here at TES. I was thrilled to be brought on as a full time teacher by the end of that school year.
Second grade is where I stayed until I received my graduate degree in Reading Education from Towson University. I spent two years working as Timonium’s reading specialist, servicing children in kindergarten, first, second, and fifth grades. I enjoyed the chance to work with many TES students, and I learned a great deal about reading instruction while holding that position, but I missed the classroom atmosphere and teaching multiple subjects. It was back to second grade for me! After many years teaching in second grade, I'm looking forward to a new adventure on the third grade team!
I am incredibly fortunate to have spent my entire teaching career at such a wonderful elementary school. The teachers/staff and TES families are dedicated to making learning a number one priority for all children.