Ms. Ann Marie’s mother always told her growing up, “never discount the lessons learned in any job you perform”, which is why she loves to reminisce about the work ethic she developed from her years driving a tractor in 4th grade during her summers on a farm, or driving a high school bus while holding another job as the Pianist for her church. Growing up with 7 years of piano and many Little Theater performances under her belt (her favorite was the role of Anne Frank), friends and family were certain Ms. Ann Marie was headed for a career in music, although she had different dreams in mind.
While attending Meredith College in Raleigh, NC, Ms. Ann Marie majored in Psychology and earned a second degree in Business Administration/ Marketing. She did manage to squeeze in a few voice/guitar classes and travel with the Meredith Chorale for stress management purposes! Knowing that she always wanted to work with children and young people, she went on to attend Appalachian State University and received her masters in Psychological Counseling, earning her K-12 School Counseling and National Certified Counselor certification. After several internships, co-ops, and opportunities to shadow people in various counseling professions, it didn’t take her long to realize that working in the schools was where she could be on the front line with the kids she enjoys and cares about so deeply.
During her first counseling job in Kannapolis Middle School, Ms. Ann Marie served on the state board for NC School Counselors Association for a few years and coordinated one of their state conferences. Ms. Ann Marie also provided counselor and system-wide staff training in the areas of violence prevention, conflict resolution, and suicide prevention. She also went on to help coordinate and serve as program counselor for the Power of Girls Mentoring Program sponsored by United Way and the Carolina Panthers.
During her first year as a counselor, she married her husband, Keith, and moved to Highland Creek, where they now live with their beagle, Jackson, and three boys, Zachary, Ben, and Elijah, who attend CSD. “I never dreamed in a million years that there could ever be a school like CSD, where a child’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive well-being is valued and nurtured like it is at our school”, she says. “Having the opportunity to work with the students and staff at CSD who inspire me every day has been a huge gift to me”.
These days when she is not at school, you will find Ms. Ann Marie on a ball field of some sort hanging out with her boys, playing the piano, reading, scrapbooking with her girlfriends, and dreaming of the day she will work it in her schedule to take drum lessons of which she has always dreamed!