I have been here for a few weeks now.  So it is time for me to introduce myself.  Hi, I’m Gaynell Lyman, the new principal at Mt Abe.

 

Originally from Newport, I graduated from North Country and then UVM.  I ended up with my first teaching job in Henrico County, Virginia, and during my 20 years there, I had an interesting collection of opportunities.  I was a high school chemistry and physics teacher for 10 years, an Instructional Technology Resource Teacher in a middle school, a Staff Development Instructor for K-12, an Educational Specialist for Instructional Technology, and an Associate Principal at Freeman High School.  Among many others, I have been able to specialize in 21st century literacies, 1:1 computing, Professional Learning Communities, questioning, and teacher mentoring/coaching.  In 2002 I earned a Master’s in Educational Administration and Supervision of Instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.  My professional passions include questioning, professional development, and technology integration.

My husband, Ty, is also from Vermont and is as excited as I am to be “home”.   We have two wonderful children.  Our son is an eight year old math-whiz with a passion for Legos, and our seven year old daughter, is wonderfully creative in both thought and action.  We all enjoy fitness - so look for us on our bikes, at the mountain or in the yoga studio.

As I settle into my office at Mt Abe and reflect on the events that brought me to this place, I cannot begin to express how excited I am to be part of the Mt Abe community.  Mt Abe is known for innovative approaches to learning and respected for the hard work that goes into cutting edge development.  I look forward to becoming part of the team that helps actualize the vision we have for the children in our community.

 

When I entered the building for the first time, I was met with a warm welcome from numerous faculty and staff who have been hard at work preparing for the school year.  Each day they help me learn more about the community, the people, and the culture, and I am delighted to be surrounded by such a dedicated community of learners.  Our year will be busy as we continue our work around personalized learning and proficiency-based grading.  I am fortunate to be surrounded by people as passionate as I am about working with students.  At risk of “wishing away the time,” I look forward to the end of August when all the students and teachers return to bring the building back to life.  For now, enjoy the summer.  And if you happen to be near Mt Abe, I hope you will take time to stop in and introduce yourself.

Gaynell Lyman