Dear Parents,
I'd like to welcome you and your child to 5th Grade eLearning for the 2020-2021 school year. My name is Lauren Rayens and I am excited to be your child's teacher! I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share with you my plans for the upcoming school year.
I am very excited to be entering my 15th year of teaching and glad that I have the opportunity to do it here in Douglas County with you and your family! Our district offers an excellent learning environment that promotes childhood learning, while having supportive parents, and amazing kids. I've taught at Gold Rush Elementary for the past seven years and look forward to taking this new adventure of eLearning with you and your child.
In my career, I've had the opportunity to teach 2nd and 3rd grade and serve as a math intervention specialist for K-5. I have taught 5th grade for eleven years, during which time I've developed a passion for working with 5th grade students. Students at this age are developing unique personalities and they make each day a new and exciting adventure! I graduated from the University of North Florida (UNF) with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. I also graduated from Walden University with a master’s degree in Reading and Literacy. I currently hold Professional Teaching Certifications in both Florida and Colorado. I began my teaching career working in the school district that I attended as a child and where I graduated high school, in Jacksonville, Florida. Although I thoroughly enjoy reading a good book and writing creative stories, my favorite subject is math. As a child, math was the subject I struggled with the most. It’s my hope that with fun songs, games, and math tricks, I will be able to take the fear of math away from kids and show them how simple and fun math can be in the real world. When I’m not in the classroom, I enjoy reading, cooking, and exploring Colorado with my husband Joshua and our Labrador, Susie.
For the upcoming school year I plan to challenge your child and prepare them for their future education. I believe that a solid education begins at the elementary level and that the foundation we build together will ultimately contribute to their success for years to come. In my classroom, I work hard to promote a safe and fun learning environment. In my experience, the more engaged the child is with the curriculum; the more they are willing to dig in and to absorb knowledge. Critical thinking, problem solving and fostering a positive community are also goals that we will maintain throughout the year as a class.
As we enter this year, I recognize that we are all experiencing challenging times. Please rest assured that my number one priority is to help prepare your child for middle school. As we experience this new adventure together, you can support our classroom by encouraging your student to come to class with a positive attitude, ask questions, and try their hardest. I am here to support you and your family in all ways possible. Working together as a cohesive team will ensure that your child has a successful year. Communication is very important to me and to the success of your child. Please reach out if you have questions or concerns. We are in this together! This is their last year of elementary school and I want it to be a memorable and fun learning experience, despite the unique challenges we face. Thank you in advance for your support. I can't wait to meet you and your child!
Kindly,
Lauren
lrayens@dcsdk12.org
