Monday, December 1, 2008

Welcome Mary Beth Matics!

Once again, Chets Creek is adding a new teacher to help with class size. Mary Beth Matics will be helping in the primary school in Mrs. Cothern and Ellis' class and also in Mrs. Alvarado and Mrs. Mackiewicz' class. She is a parent who has been involved at the Creek for many years.

Coming from a large family (7 living siblings with Mary Beth, the baby of the family), Mrs. Matics was exposed to many varied career choices. Her sister, Gael, had the most influence over her when she did her teaching internship in Mary Beth's 8th grade English class. Her sister is still teaching (11th and 12th grade IB Economics and Psychology) in Charleston, WV.

Mary Beth has lived most of her adult life in Florida and both of her children were born in Jax. Jacksonville has been her home for the past ten years. Her daughter Hayley, now a 7th grader, went all the way through Chets Creek Elementary and her son, Coleton, is a third grader in Mrs. Chascin and Mrs. Rice’s class. (Both of her children did the K&1 loop with Haley Alvarado). Mrs. Matics has been a PTA member every single year since 2000, served on the PTA board as the Volunteer Coordinator, has been homeroom mom many times over, and is currently on the SAC Committee. She just LOVES Chets Creek Elementary! Prior to coming to Chets Creek, her children attended Community Presbyterian Preschool and Kindergarten where she was an Assistant Preschool Teacher - a job that did not feel at all like a job at all. After she saw all the wonderful things happening here at the Creek she knew her heart was in teaching and that she could not go back to my prior career as a licensed insurance adjuster. She was completely hooked so it was back to school she went to become a teacher!

Mary Beth Matics graduated from the University of North Florida, Summa Cum Laude, with a degree in Education. She is certified in ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages); Pre-K/Primary (age 3 through 3rd grade); K-6 as well as Exceptionalities K-12. She substituted in Duval County, mostly at Chets Creek Elementary and San Jose Elementary where she completed her full teaching internship.

Mary Beth has been a Nursery Coordinator at her church and a Florida Ballet Volunteer. Her greatest joy is being with her family. She is a soccer mom, a dance mom, and a volleyball mom. Reading is one of her favorite ways to relax. She also enjoys learning about technology and traveling - which she hopes to do more in the summers to come. Mary Beth says that becoming a teacher, and especially becoming a teacher at Chets Creek Elementary, is her dream come true!