About the Teachers

Mr. Thao

Hello and welcome to Sandburg and the Kinder Classrooms! My name is Mr. Thao and this will be my 14th year teaching here at Sandburg.  I grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin and came down here for school. Cool activities, the people, and Sandburg are keeping me and my wife here! We have four children: Delvin (Senior at East), Dean (Eighth grader at Sherman), Lauren (Fifth Grade here at Sandburg), and our baby of the family, Evie, is a Third Grader here at Sandburg too. 

When I am not working, my family and I are usually somewhere doing some type of outdoor activities; camping, hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing, boating, and travelling.  Where?  We have been to many of the Wisconsin's state parks and national parks—some of our favorites include Peninsula, Point Beach, Mirror Lake, Kohler Andrae, and Devils Lake.  We love travelling to the West; especially the Southwest such as the Grand Canyon, Arches, and Bryce.

I am really excited to start another year at Sandburg and meet a new group of Kinders and Families. If you have any questions, please let me know. 

Ms. Naomi

Greeting!

It is a pleasure to work with you this year in order to help your children succeed in classes.  My role this year is Bilingual Resource Teacher.  I am working in all Kindergarten classrooms with classroom teachers to ensure that students are working toward grade level expectations.

When I was sixteen I began to learn German and one year later I traveled to Austria where I lived for one year.  I studied Spanish in a college prep. school and also at the university.  I finished my teaching practicum in Cicero, Illinois, where all my students spoke Spanish.  I taught middle school, grades 6-8, in Sun Prairie for 15 years before coming to Sandburg, where I have been a classroom teacher in Kindergarten, First and Second Grades.  I have a son, Tyger, who turned 11 years old this year, and a daughter, Xochitl, who is now seven.

Mu husband was teaching in Waterloo, but now is working with the state as a Migrant Recruiter. I have one sister, who has been a teacher in Qatar, near Saudi Arabia, Tanzania and Tunisia, Africa, and now she is in Peru, South America. My parents live in Wisconsin, a few hours north of here in the country, where I grew up.  Their land is near a small village, where my father was the dentist.  I enjoy the outdoors because of growing up rural.  

It was my pleasure to introduce myself by telling you a little about how I came to Sandburg.  I look forward to this year with your children in Kindergarten!

Thank you!

Naomi Smith

Ms. Hope

Welcome to Sandburg!  My name is Ms. Hope and I am a special education teacher supporting Kindergarten.  I have been teaching for 8 years.  My husband, Ryan, and I enjoy being outside with our dog, Luis, and have been fortunate enough to travel a lot.  I also love running, Harry Potter, and reading.  I cannot wait to continue to meet and get to know you and your families.    

Ms. Helen

Ms. Wilson

Ms. Josefina