Hi! My name is Mrs. Jessica Winstanley. I am the Technology Integration Specialist for Portage Public School in Portage, Michigan. I really enjoy teaching and working with our staff to help them to best use technology in their classrooms. I am also teaching computer classes at St. Michael's Lutheran School this year for their first through fifth grade students.
Background Information:
I am the oldest of four children in my family. I have two sisters, two brother-in-laws, one brother, one sister-in-law, a niece and a nephew. It seems like my family is ever expanding. I am very close to my immediate family and my extended family as well. I have many cousins, aunts and uncles with whom I share a special bond. I am also close to my two grandparents. My in-laws are also an important part of my family. I have known my husband's parents since I was in the sixth grade. He has two wonderful sisters and 3 adorable nieces. The most important people in my life are my husband, my son, Bryant and my daughter, Clara. My husband and I have been married for over 10 years and have known each other since we were 11. Bryant is a kind-hearted kid who is a lot of fun and full of smiles and energy. He is always amazing us with how much he knows. Clara is an independent little girl with a big heart and a sparkle in her eye. Everyday she is learning and growing in order to keep up with her big brother.
I grew up in Grand Ledge, Michigan. I was very involved in school. I was on the Pom Pon squad, captain of the Girls Golf team, advertising editor for the year book and a member of the National Honor Society. When I went to college at Central Michigan University in the fall of 1998, I continued to be involved in many activities. I was a chairperson for hall council, on the executive board for Honors Outreach Network, a member of Residence Hall Assembly, the secretary for Phi Eta Sigma (a freshmen honor society), and the historian and secretary for Kappa Delta Epsilon (a national teachers fraternity). Also while at CMU I worked at the Educational Materials Center and substitute taught. I graduated from CMU in December of 2002 with my Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education with a major in science and a minor in language arts. In July of 2002, I married my husband and we moved to Kalamazoo because he was offered an engineering position at Stryker. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to do my students teaching at Amberly Elementary in third grade with Carolyn Packard. After graduation, I started teaching at Paw Paw Middle School as a sixth grade science teacher. I enjoyed teaching in Paw Paw, but when the third grade position opened up for the fall at Amberly, I jumped at the chance to apply. I was offered the position and spent 8 great years at Amberly teaching mostly third grade. It is a wonderful school and I enjoyed every moment I spent there with these fantastic students! In December 2005 I accomplished another one of my educational goals by completing my Masters of Education Degree from Walden University. My focus was integrating technology in the classroom, and I loved to use what I learned about technology with my third grade students. During the summer of 2011, another wonderful professional opportunity arose. I applied for the technology integration specialists position in Portage. This position allowed me to use the skills I acquired through my masters degree in a broader way. I love my new position because I get to solve problems, be creative and help people every day.
Hobbies and Interests:
I enjoy doing many things. I love to read, shop and do art projects. I also enjoy hiking. My favorite place to hike is in the mountains of Colorado. My husband, my family and I went to Colorado in June 2010 and spent a week hiking in the mountains. Another one of my hobbies is playing the piano. Unfortunately I never learned to memorize music, so I can only play with the sheet music in front of me. I always admire people who can memorize music. I love listening to music, as well as playing it. I listen to everything from rock to country to classical. I enjoy going to concerts, musicals and plays. I enjoy meeting new people and seeing new things. I have traveled to and lived in many different places. I have been to Colorado, California, Texas, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, South Carolina, Kentucky, and many states in between. I have also traveled to South Korea, Canada, Spain and Morocco. I would love to travel more and see new places. After I graduated from high school my family began to move around a lot. They first moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They lived there for a year and a half. I lived with them during my vacations from college. Oklahoma was amazingly flat and had tons of cattle and red dirt. Next my family moved to Nashville, Tennessee. They lived there for three and a half years. I loved Nashville. The hills are beautiful, and there is music everywhere. My sister met and/or saw many country music stars while they were living there. In 2003, my family moved back to Michigan and lived in Metro Detroit for over two years. In January of 2006, they moved to Seoul, South Korea. My husband and I visited them over Spring Break 2006. It was a long flight for a short week, but well worth it. It was fascinating experiencing the Korean culture. Seoul is a fun and interesting city to visit. My parents are now back in Michigan and it is great having them close by to be an integral part of their grandchildren's lives.
