Teacher Feature: Meet Mrs. Nicole Schroeder, 1st grade teacher

Each week we feature a Sacred Heart faculty member. Let's get to know Mrs. Nicole Schroeder, 1st grade teacher, a bit better!

Q. Can you tell us about yourself and where you are from? 
A. I grew up in a small town in northern North Dakota and graduated in the class of 2001! My mom was a teacher so I spent many hours helping her in her classroom. I am the middle child with an older sister and younger brother. I moved to the big city of Grand Forks in 2001 to attend UND where I met my husband while we were both student employees at UND. We were married in 2006 and have four children.

Q. Was there a moment when you decided to become a teacher? 
A. I think growing up in an elementary classroom really sparked my interest in teaching. When I was a junior in high school I was set on being an accountant. I had the opportunity my senior year to job shadow at Lewis and Clark in an elementary classroom and that solidified my decision. In my heart I knew that I was meant to be a teacher and that decision is made more apparent each year with each new group of students. It's an amazing experience to see the growth they have year after year and their excitement about learning. Best job ever!

Q. What do you like most about teaching at Sacred Heart? 
A. The best part about Sacred Heart is definitely being able to bring my faith and values into my everyday teaching. I love being able to pray with and for the children as well as their families. To hear how deeply they believe in the power and love of Jesus is amazing and I am so grateful that I can continue to deepen their faith by encouraging them to be disciples of Jesus. I have had the opportunity to teach all age levels from 2.5 years old up through college age students. First grade has been my absolute favorite so far! The amount of growth that happens during their first grade year is astounding and they keep me going with all of their energy and love of learning. 

Q. What is your educational background?
A.  I attended the University of North Dakota where I received my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood education with a minor in Special Education. I then continued on to get my Masters in Elementary Education, also from UND. 

Q: Is there something interesting or neat you do in your classroom that you might want to share? 
We love to make learning fun in first grade! One of the celebrations we have is the 101st day (because we are FIRST graders). We have a dalmation themed day where all of our learning is based on the number 101, even our snack! We also have "Reading Camp" at the end of the school year, complete with tents and s'mores, to celebrate a great year of reading. This was started by the amazing Judi Roberts (a long-time Sacred Heart 1st grade teacher) and I am so happy to continue this tradition. 

Q. Is there any activity or event you have enjoyed so far this year?
A. I love Catholic Schools week because it's really a time where we can celebrate our faith and we get to do that with our whole school community! It's a crazy week, but I look forward to it every year. I also really enjoy our Reading Camp day! Definitely one of my favorites!

Q. What interests do you pursue outside of the classroom?
A. Right now we are in the moment of our lives where everything seems to be planned around our kids' activities! I love spending my time watching them play basketball, volleyball, t-ball, swimming, and will soon enjoy track meets! My husband and I do like to travel when we get the chance and have experienced Florida, Denver, Mexico, New York, Hawaii and, most recently, Rome. We spend our summers shuttling kids to activities and going back and forth from the lake. I really enjoy crafting, when I have time, and reading fiction books.