My name is Jodi Connelly, and I am the 4/5/6 teacher. I am one of 18 children. My parents had 3 kids, my mother adopted 12 and my stepfather had 3. I have been working with kids since I was in my teens. I was raised with many animals around me and have a passion for nature and caring for our world. I enjoy the arts, including creating jewelry and painting. I live in Dewey with my dogs, cats and chickens. I have raised livestock, worked on a citrus ranch and raised and trained horses as well. I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona, in 1989, and I have been teaching since then. I have a Bachelor’s in Agricultural Science, a Master’s in Special Education, a Master’s in Educational Leadership and have continued my education over the years. I hold multiple teaching credentials in three states, Arizona, Colorado, and California. I am a National Board Certified Teacher 3 times over. I have taught everything from Agriculture, Outdoor Education, Gifted and Talented as well as Special Education during my career. My teaching philosophy is a blend of many teaching and learning methods. Montessori, Waldorf, Expeditionary Learning, and Exploration. Given time and encouragement I believe all students can learn. It is my responsibility to create learning experiences that challenge and encourage learning simply for the love of it. Discovery, experimentation and learning go hand in hand. I also believe in instilling responsiblity, good manners and positive behavior.