Hello! I'm Lisa Apel-Christianson and I'm happy to be teaching 1st grade at our awesome IB/PYP school! I believe in working closely with families and staff to provide students with a well-rounded educational experience. It's very powerful when we all work together to help our children build on their individual successes. On that note, please feel free to let me know if there is something that your child is going through that may affect them at school. I am happy to give some extra attention and TLC to support them. Each child is so different in so many ways, and they all make gains at different speeds and levels. I try hard to encourage children to accept themselves and celebrate their growth. 

I have taught several grade levels in my career, but the majority of my time at HPE has been in 1st grade. I'm excited about teaching our 6 Units of Inquiry. Please check out the titles and central ideas of what we will be learning about this school year.  First grade is a very important grade for learning how they each learn to learn best. We do this by asking questions and searching to find the answers to those questions.  Asking questions is a motivating and empowering part of IB learning. "Taking action" to make something better is also encouraged and is a vital part of IB/PYP. I absolutely LOVE how young people learn how each and every person has the power to make a big difference in this world. Young children CAN and DO things that make a positive difference.