Lindsey Matykiewicz, or Mrs. Maty to her students, teaches third grade at Curry Elementary. 

Matykiewicz has been teaching for over 20 years—16 of those in the Tempe Elementary School District.

Matykiewicz was a CARES Act teacher during the pandemic, but she took over a third grade... Read more

Anne Mattison has been a teacher for over 30 years. She teaches second grade at Madison Heights Elementary. 

Mattison taught first grade for more than 20 years, but she says she absolutely loves second grade. One thing she enjoys is the candor of her young students.

One instance of... Read more

James Benitez sees his future, and it is in teaching. This student teacher is in his last semester at ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, and he is currently doing his student teaching in a 4th–6th combo classroom at Whittier Elementary in Mesa. 

Benitez is an Arizona native who went... Read more

Clarice Garcia has been teaching second grade at Greenfield Elementary for eight years. She has been a teacher for 12 years. She began teaching in her hometown of El Paso, Texas.

“I began my teaching career in the school district where my parents, myself and my children went to school,”... Read more

Stephanie Stratton teaches first grade at Kiva Elementary. Stratton has been teaching in the Scottsdale District for over 20 years. She taught at Tavan Elementary before moving to Kiva.

Stratton is originally from South Carolina. She began her career in marketing but says, “I think... Read more

Amanda Landingham teaches third grade at Ignacio Conchos Elementary. She has been teaching third grade there for four years.

Landingham, known as Ms. L to her students, is from Michigan. She came to Arizona to stay with her mom’s friend for “what was supposed to be two weeks,” she says. “... Read more

Carly Mahlmeister teaches third grade at San Marcos Elementary in Chandler. She has also taught first and second grades, but she says she really loves teaching third grade.

Third graders have “a level of independence that I enjoy,” explains Mahlmeister. She notes that these older students... Read more

Victoria Van Leuven teaches first grade at Archway Veritas. This is her fourth year at the school. She began at Veritas by teaching kindergarten for two years.

When asked to join the first grade team, Van Leuven says she was flattered, humbled and excited. It was also a chance for... Read more

Amy Wallander teaches third grade at Cotton Boll Elementary. Last school year was a different school experience for everyone, and that was true for Wallander and her students.

While the school returned to in-person classes in September after starting online last August, “We didn’t get to... Read more

Anne Kemper taught a second/third grade combination class at Summit Academy this year. Kemper has taught for 12 years. She says she enjoyed having the different ages together because the older students acted as mentors to the younger kids.

“I like that they are able to take on the role of... Read more