Ms. Geiss
It has been a privilege to be a member of the Hiawatha-Howe community since 2012! I love our school and the wonderful students, families, and staff that make it an amazing place to work and learn.
My journey to becoming an ELL teacher has been a meandering path. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls with a BS in Business and a minor in Sociology in 2003. Upon graduating, I worked as a Marketing Coordinator for a large law firm in the Twin Cities. I enjoyed working in the legal marketing arena but hoped to find work that was more meaningful to me. In 2008 I came upon an opportunity to teach English in South Korea. I took a leap of faith that ended up leading me to my true passion! I spent four years teaching in Korea and came to the realization that I wanted to pursue a career in education.
In 2012 I returned to the United States and began my tenure at Hiawatha Elementary School as a volunteer with the Minnesota Reading Corps program. The following year I took a position as an Associate Educator and continued working at Hiawatha as I pursued my Master's Degree. In the spring of 2016, I completed my graduate studies at Saint Mary’s University with a Master’s and initial license in teaching English as a Second Language, as well as a Reading Specialist certification.
I currently live in the Nokomis neighborhood with my husband, Steve, and son, Lincoln. I have been living in the Longfellow/Nokomis area since 1992 and I love being a part of the community! I appreciate living in an area that has so many incredible parks because being in nature makes me happy. I try to be outside as much as possible! Hiking, biking, skiing, swimming, and camping are some of my favorite activities. I also have a passion for travel! I love to explore and experience all the beautiful and amazing things that different cultures have to offer. When I am not able to have these experiences through travel, I am grateful to live in the Twin Cities where I have access to restaurants, shops, and cultural events that represent the varied and vibrant members of our community.
