Teaching is an absolute passion of mine, that’s why I’m so excited to work with you and your child! It’s going to be a year filled with fun, learning, and adventures, and I can’t wait to meet my new students and get started!

  I thought you might want to know a little bit about me.

  I’m married to my wonderful husband, Rich, and have four sons. Josh is 27 and a United States Marine and newly married to Beca. Ben is 22 and is attending Texas State where he is majoring in Computer Science. September 28, 2018 we were blessed by finalizing the adoption of our two 4 year old sons, Jack and Jacob. We are very excited that they will be starting in PreK and will be part of the LME family. 

We also have a dog, Abby, and two cats, Madison and Xavier. In case you were wondering...We Love animals!

  In my free time, I enjoy arts and crafts, reading, computers and technology, and most recently, fishing! My dream is to travel to Scotland and tour the countryside.

We started our adventures in Texas 5 years ago when we decided to move here from New Jersey. Boy, has it been a thrilling experience so far! From fire ants to scorching hot summer days, we have made some exciting memories over the last five years! For me though, becoming part of the Laurel Mountain family has been the most amazing!

  This is my sixth year at Laurel Mountain Elementary, however, I’ve been teaching for 18 years and received my Bachelors Degree in Education and Psychology from Felician University in New Jersey. I’ve taught 3rd and 4th grade and helped run an early childhood literacy program for at-risk students in kindergarten through 2nd grade in New Jersey.

  Over the years I’ve also organized an Author’s Tea, Muffins with Mom celebration, and my favorite, arranging “Iditarod Day” which included sled dogs and a visit from Ken Anderson, a professional dog musher all the way from Alaska!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of my professional accomplishments include 2013 Teacher of The Year, and winner of the 2010 “A Day Made Better”, an award sponsored by Office Depot that recognizes teachers who go above and beyond for their schools.

  Although I appreciate these awards, I am most proud of my students. Over the years, I’ve had many students come back and thank me for not giving up on them, making the effort to help them outgrow their mischievous behavior, or encouraging them to try something they thought they couldn’t do. Having these students share their accomplishments and achievements with me years later are the moments that are priceless to me.

   My first year at Laurel Mountain, I had the pleasure of working with the fabulous fourth-grade team where I was able to experience all the things that make LME wonderful. As part of the team, I taught the 4th-grade  dyslexia groups along with small group instruction in reading and math. The following 3 years I had the honor of being part of the 2nd grade team and learned an grew as an educator. Last year, I was excited to embark on a new adventure at Laurel Mountain as a Special Education Resource/Inclusion teacher. This opportunity allowed me to grow as a teacher as I delved into accommodations and strategies to meet the needs of students across grade levels with diverse needs. 

   This is my fifth year at LME and I am excited to be part of the First Grade team. I'm ready to get to know your child and work together to help them develop their passions and talents as well as grow academically and socially.

It's truly an honor for me to be your child's teacher and I can't wait to get started!

   So welcome to Mrs. Kownacki's class at Laurel Mountain, and let’s make this the best school year ever!