Student to Student

Ms. Jones' Class in Kent, Wash.

My name is Michelle Jones. I just started teaching third grade at Meadow Ridge Elementary in Kent, Washington. My previous experience has been in second grade and substitute teaching. I recently earned a Master's Degree in Education from Lesley College in Boston, MA.

Learning with children is my passion. It is for this reason I am so excited to introduce my students to the fascinating, ground-breaking technology currently available via the Internet.

Kent, Washington is located about 25 miles southeast of Seattle. Kent started out as a farming community. However, most of the farms have since been replaced by industrial areas. Kent is a growing community, with a population of about 42,000. The beaches of the Pacific Ocean, breathtaking Mount Rainier, and the exciting escapades of the beautiful Emerald City ...a.k.a. Seattle ...are all easily accessible from Kent. Thus making Kent a desirable place to live.

Meadow Ridge Elementary School opened its doors in August of 1994. Meadow Ridge serves a diverse group of students — reflecting its community. Currently, 500 kindergarten though sixth grade students attend our school.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream is one we strive to keep alive in our school on a daily basis. In the past we have done the following to honor this great man:

• student-generated poetry about his dream
• united in song about the importance of his work
• created a computer-generated slide show entitled, "I Have A Dream."
• performed a dramatization about Dr. King's life.
• shared literature in the classroom
• held a school-wide assembly honoring his life's work.