Hello! I am thrilled to join the Valley Inquiry Charter School as the new teaching-principal. My name is Lacey McNay, and I am stepping into this new role with a variety of experiences in education and leadership, including time as a classroom teacher, a STEAM interventionist, a Dean of Students, and an Assistant Principal. I have my Master's in Curriculum & Instruction as well as my Principal Certification. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, hiking, reading a variety of books, listening to podcasts, exploring new places and traveling, playing the piano, attending a book club, hosting people in my home, and baking yummy recipes. I am dedicated to infusing the I.B. mission and vision into all aspects of our school. Here's to another year of "Developing internationally minded, lifelong learners." ​
 

Hi! My name is Stacy Boost, and I am so very excited to join Valley Inquiry School and its community! I have my Master's in Special Education and a B.S. in Elementary Education, and I have taught for 30+ years in a variety of regular and Special Ed positions.   My top interests/joys are: teaching, sewing, anything math/science related, and animals.

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My name is Brynn Ogilvie, and I am excited to start my first year at Valley Inquiry Charter School! I have been working with children ranging from 0-18 years old for 16 years in a variety of fields. I graduated from Knox College with my Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and am licensed to teach in two states. I thoroughly enjoy working with unapologetically creative, imaginative, and innovative children while learning how to be confident and independent in their magnificent way. Throughout the year, I hope that we, as a community, can support and communicate with each other empathetically and compassionately to build a sense of belonging and inclusion without bias.

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Hello! My name is Jayme Peppler, and I am the new 3rd-grade Teacher joining Valley Inquiry Charter this year. I am beyond excited to start this new adventure alongside amazing staff and students this year! I bring a diversity of experience from several years in the classroom, ranging from DLC specialized classrooms to kindergarten, 2nd grade, 5th grade, and now 3rd grade. When I am not teaching, I love spending time with my children and family, fishing, practicing yoga, hiking, reading books, and gardening. My goal is to help guide students to become excited lifelong learners and become respectful citizens in our community. 

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Ashlie Gardner: I am very excited to be a part of the Salem Inquiry team. I grew up in Salem, and the community is near and dear to my heart. I grew up playing softball and was able to continue playing while attending Western Oregon University. I love spending time involved in youth sports. I love being in the water, and you can always catch me swimming on a hot day. I enjoy reading and listening to podcasts. My passion is working with kiddos- building relationships and watching their growth. I started my career working with sweet foster kiddos, and they put a passion in my heart to go back to school to be a teacher. 

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Miguel Ponce: I’m thrilled to start the new school year as your new PE teacher at Valley Inquiry! I’m genuinely excited to bring energy and enthusiasm to our physical education program. I aim to create a fun and supportive environment where your kids can explore new activities, develop their physical skills, and learn the value of teamwork and perseverance. I’m looking forward to a year filled with growth, laughter, and fitness adventures! See you soon Cheetahs!!

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Hi! My name is Melody Reade. I am so excited to join the team at Valley Inquiry Charter and teach the fifth-grade class. I grew up and have lived around the Salem area most of my life. I love crocheting, reading, gardening, baking, and spending time with my family. I really enjoy hands-on learning and interacting with my students. I am looking forward to getting to know the students and their families!

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Hello! My name is Jaskiran Kaur Notre, and I am so excited to join Valley Inquiry Charter School as a first-grade teacher! I graduated from the University of Oregon with a master's in education and have worked with youth in various educational settings for many years. I have a passion for building a strong, inclusive community where every student feels valued and inspired. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, baking, and being a BTS fan. I am dedicated to creating a dynamic and engaging classroom environment that fosters curiosity, joy, and a love for learning. I look forward to embarking on this wonderful journey with our students, staff, and families!

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Hi! My name is Mila Skrivan. I am thrilled to be back at VICS for another year. My favorite part of being an instructional assistant is providing support to both teachers and students, helping to ensure that everyone has the resources they need to succeed. I grew up in Nebraska and moved out to Oregon 3 years ago. Outside of school, I am a student myself! I am working towards one day becoming a teacher. In my downtime, I love to bake cakes, cook new recipes, and read. I look forward to a new school year with all of you!

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Hello! My name is Hannah McSmith. This will be my fourth year at Valley. My husband and I have a 13-year-old son named Parker. I love to spend time with my family. Being in nature is my favorite thing to do. I also love the beach and swimming at our family pond. I'm excited to meet all the new hires this year!​

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Hello, I'm Jim Deal, and I'm excited to join Valley Inquiry Charter this Fall as the Learning Resource Teacher. After an over 30-year career in management, training, and operations, I transitioned to teaching special education, earning my Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Special Education with Licensure from Colorado Christian University in May 2021. For the past three years, I've been teaching special education in Salem. Outside work, my wife of 28 years, our seven children (ages 8 to 27), and my 72-year-old mother share a wonderful home in Albany, Oregon. I also bring 21 years of experience running a family entertainment business specializing in balloon twisting, clowning, and magic shows. This unique experience has honed my creativity and resourcefulness, skills that I look forward to contributing to the IB culture of VICS.

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Greetings! My name is Shawna Dolph, and I work with our LRC students at Valley. I’ll be starting my second year at Valley, but prior to working here, I worked at Whiteaker Middle School with SPED students for 10 years. I am a mother of 2. My daughter is 25, and my son just turned 23. I got into SPED because of my son, who was diagnosed with autism at age 3 by WESD. It’s been a long journey of learning and growing, and I’m so thankful that I get to work with such amazing students here at Valley. I’ve lived in Keizer for 23 years. I have several hobbies, including photography and crocheting, and my favorite hobby is hiking. My husband and I also have 3 corgis and a munchkin kitty. I have a strong love for animals. I have always said if I didn’t work with children, I would work with animals. Looking forward to working with our students and staff.

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In the famous words of a common gray spider named Charlotte, “Salutations and Felicitations!”  This fancy way of saying hello reassured Wilbur and brought a little light into a frightened little pig’s heart.  I am hoping that my greeting reassures and lightens your heart as your children start the fourth grade with me, Amy Rokosz. I come to Valley Inquiry Charter School with a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education.  I have a myriad of experiences in education as a teacher, tutor, and mentor.  I am over the moon about the journey that lies ahead with the children, this community, and my colleagues.  I love to entice my students with a good tale, project-based learning, and integrated subjects and activities, and I cannot wait to get started! Bits about me…Well, I am an Oregon native, born and raised in historic Oregon City, and currently reside in Aurora with my husband, a pack of dogs, and a growing pride of felines.  Did I mention chickens?  They are part of the crew, too.  I dabble with gardening, love to whip up a batch of cookies or make a comforting pot of stew, enjoy grabbing a crochet hook and designing an afghan, and snapping a photo or two of the sunset, the ocean waves, and trees.  I might include the dogs here, but I can never get them to stay still long enough or get them to stop the photo bombing they do to each other!   My latest adventures have led me to explore nature journaling, acrylic painting, and bottle-feeding kittens (we’ll have to talk about that glorious tale…or should I say tails?).  I adore classic films, classic children’s literature, folklore, history, and a good thunderstorm. I look forward to learning about ya’ll!  But for now, I best hit the evening trail!  The thunder is rolling, critters are lowing, supper is on, and I think I hear the hubby in the distance mentioning the chocolate chip cookies need tending to!​ 

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Hello! My name is Alice Somerville, and I am so excited to be back for my second year as music teacher at Valley Inquiry. I grew up in Salem and participated in every choir, orchestra, and theater activity imaginable. I received my Bachelor's of Music in Music Education from the University of Oregon. I have worked with kids in many different ways, whether I was a counselor at camp, babysitting, working at daycares, or teaching choir and music, I have always loved teaching and working with young learners. Outside of school, I perform a lot in the Willamette Valley with choirs, opera companies, and community theaters. I also love to spend time with my family, playing board games, and making wonderful creations in the kitchen. I'm so looking forward to this year and can't wait to see everyone!

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Greetings! I’m Jackie Rios. I am very excited to be returning to Valley for another year as an IA for 4th and 5th grade. I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I love going to the beach, spending time with my friends, and playing with my cat Petunia. I would love to learn more about gardening, technology, crocheting, carpentry, and videography in the upcoming months.