Second Grade, Ms. DeVaney-Wilkes, (Ms. D.)

My name is Suzanne DeVaney-Wilkes, but I'm better known as Ms. D. at Holy Cross. In my family, I'm also known as Grandma Suzy. I have three awesome grandsons, Xander (8 yrs.), Rowan (5 yrs.), and Baby Theo, born on April 3, 2023, and one amazing granddaughter, Sophie (3 yrs.). God is good!

This is my forty-fourth year of teaching, my thirty-sixth at Holy Cross. I can hardly believe how quickly time has passed! Most of my career has been spent teaching second grade. It's such an incredible year of academic, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical growth. I still have fond memories of being a second grader myself in Mrs. Edlund's class at The Madeleine School in Northeast Portland. My hope is that your child will feel the same way I did, and still do, about this special year of elementary school.

We all know that it takes many hands to make the work light! I am thrilled to have Mrs. Jen Washburn as our part time instructional aide. She works  each day till 12:45 p.m.  Also joining the second grade team is Miss Sierra Faoro. She is a student at the University of Portland and will be completing her Student Teaching experience in order to fulfill the requirements to become a certified teacher. Miss Faoro worked as an aide at Holy Cross during the 2022-2023 school year so many of the students know her already. Plus, she is a Holy Cross graduate herself! What a blessing for all of us at Holy Cross!

Students need a safe, respectful, and faith-filled classroom environment where they can feel comfortable and confident in their learning. Effective classroom management directly enhances the learning environment. Students who consistently demonstrate behaviors that reflect the Schoolwide Learning Expectations (SLEs) become Busy Bee Self-Managers. The children really take these expectations to heart and do their best to become Busy Bees!

Second graders who have been baptized have the opportunity to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist during the school year. Please contact Andrea Swanson, the parish Director of Religious Education, if you are interested in having your child participate in the parish program. This is an important mission of the parish. We hope to deepen the children's knowledge of Catholicism and put their faith into action. The children come with open minds and hearts in order to more fully participate in the Church, the Body of Christ. Even though I am no longer directly involved in teaching the Sunday sacramental preparation classes, I will offer support by planning with Mrs. Swanson and teaching lessons about these Sacraments in the classroom.

It's wonderful to be part of the Holy Cross community. It feels like a home away from home. There's no place I'd rather be!