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 (9 yrs.), Rowan (6 yrs.), and Theo (1 yr.), and one amazing granddaughter, Sophie (4 yrs.). God is good!

This is my forty-fifth year of teaching, my thirty-seventh 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 teamwork makes the dream work! I am thrilled to have an amazing team working with the second graders. Mrs. Jen Washburn is the full-time instructional assistant, and Ms. Karen Kim will be completing her Student Teaching experience in order to fulfill the requirements to become a certified teacher. Ms. Kim, who is currently enrolled at the University of Portland, will be in the classroom during the fall semester.

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!