Amy Pacitto
I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. I have lived in this area for most of my life. I attended Pinewood Elementary, Mt. Holly Jr. High, and East Gaston High School. I graduated from Belmont Abbey College with my 2nd Bachelor of Arts, this time in Elementary Education (my first degree being a double major in Human Services and Psychology, with a minor in Dance… received many years ago!). Currently my daughter Kaitlyn and I live in Mt. Holly. She is 17 years old and will be a senior at East Gaston this year. We have 2 dogs and 2 cats, so you could say we have a house full! Between church, work, family and all the animals I stay busy…and I love it! I am so looking forward to getting to know all of the children that are at MICS this year. We are going to have a blast and grow in many ways together as a team! 2013-2014 is going to be a great school year!!
Meghan Cisar
I was born in Rochester, NY and my family moved around the northeast every few years. I attended Northeastern University in Boston, MA earning a degree in English and Elementary Education. Currently I am working my way towards a master’s degree from Lesley University, out of Cambridge Massachusetts, with a specialization in literacy. I am entering my ninth year teaching and couldn’t be more excited about it. After several years teaching in Massachusetts my husband and I decided to move down to warmer weather. We currently live in Davidson along with our son Charlie, who is 16months old and Charlie’s best friend our dog Buddy. Teaching Literacy is my passion and I am very interested in the work done by The Reading and Writing Project, led by Lucy Calkins, a think tank which collaborates with all the “experts” in the field of literacy. Over the summer I spent a lot of time with my family, having fun with Charlie, as well as a lot of reading of research in the field of literacy, graduate work and professional development. I was fortunate enough to attend both summer institutes by The Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University for Writing and Reading. I have come back completely renewed and inspired and am eager to get started. I am looking forward to a great year. Be on the lookout for great nonfiction books, we are going to need a lot of them!!
Chantal Vinson
I was born in Montreal, Canada and was raised in a French Canadian environment. I started learning English as a second language in 4th grade and learned very fast. After college, I taught grades 5 and 6 for five years in the Quebec school system. I moved to Charlotte as part of the Visiting International Faculty program (VIF) in 2004 to teach in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. I taught 5th grade for 2 years and 2nd grade for four years before joining MICS. This school year will be my fifteenth year as a teacher. I recently graduated with a M.A. of Science in Elementary Reading and Mathematics. During my stay as a VIF teacher, I met my husband Daniel and we married in the winter of 2007. We do not have any children yet but we love to take care of our two cats Kitty and Jazzie as well as our new puppy Riker. I am excited for this new school year and I am proud to be part of the MICS staff. I wish you all a great 2013-2014 school year!
Kelley Cook
I was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. I attended Calvary Christian School for elementary/middle school and Gaston Christian School for high school. I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in December 2011. I have taught pre-k for 2 years, 5th grade for half of a school year, and 3rd grade for one year. My husband, Bobby, and I just celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. We have 2 future Raptors in the family. Our daughter, Becca, is a very energetic 2 year old that is adjusting to life as a big sister. Our son, Jack, is 2 months old. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I love being a part of the MICS family! I look forward to a very successful year!
Kelsey Mitchell
I spent my early school years in New Hampshire and moved to Charlotte as a High School freshman. I completed the IB program at North Mecklenburg High School. For college, I attended UNC Greensboro earning an Elementary education degree. I then taught 2nd grade in High Point at a wonderful school for five years. During this time I went back to UNCG for my Masters of Education with an add-on licensure in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Last year I decided to move back to Charlotte and taught 1st grade in CMS. In my free time I love traveling, skiing, scrapbooking, and reading. Given my teaching experience in 2nd grade, I am eager to work with 3rd grade students this year!
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