Hello, RGA Wildcats! I'm Mrs. Crowson and I am your 6th grade math teacher.  I'm extremely proud to be a part of this unique middle school.  Being on a team here with the staff, parents, and students at RGA is something I feel blessed to be a part of. In May of 1997, I graduated from Western Illinois University with a BSEd in Elementary Education with a concentration in Mathematics.  I earned middle school endorsements in math, social studies, and language arts.  I began my teaching career in the fall of 1997 at Mark Bills Middle School and taught all subjects and all grades at one point or another in that building.  Seventeen years in, I took a change of pace from middle school and taught 4th grade at Northmoor Primary for the next five years.  The opportunity to follow my heart to [then] WGMS came along, so I returned to middle school and love it.  In addition to 26 years of years of classroom experience under my belt, I have a Masters Degree in Teaching and Learning.  A lot has changed through all of these years of teaching, but I do my best to keep up with the times and continue my own education.  I've attended a "Gifted Bootcamp" at Northwestern University in Evanston with Mrs. Fleming, Mr. Weinrich, and Mrs. Martin.  I've kept up on training with 1:1 computing and MSTeams.  I've participated in a four day summer course in Responsive Classrooms.  I've had continued extensive training in our EnVision Math curriculum and sit on the district math committee. I sponsor Changemakers Club and Student Council in my after hours responsibilities.  I volunteer co-coach for our JV Scholastic Bowl team. Additionally, I am a Destination Technology Teacher for the PPS Caterpillar-sponsored middle school Saturday program.  (The DT program is by invitation only)

More about me:  I'm married to Chris Crowson, Richwoods Biology teacher and JV soccer coach for boys and girls.  We have 3 daughters who are proud alumni and current students in Peoria Public Schools.  Our oldest graduated with honors from Elmhurst University and works full time in graphic design, our middle daughter is a senior at Iowa State University, and our youngest is a senior at Richwoods.  Two of my daughters are alums of WGMS.  We also have a "Spanish Crowson," Maria, who lived with us last school year and is forever our daughter though she has returned to start college in Spain. My husband and I are both natives to the area but you won't always find us here in Peoria in the summer...we LOVE to travel during the summer.  We frequent Lake of the Ozarks, Seagrove Beach, Florida, and Crystal River, Florida.  Around town, you'll see us walking our dogs, riding our bikes, or on the sidelines and fields of the area soccer fields. When I'm not watching soccer games, football games, musical performances or other activities, you'll find me enjoying time in the kitchen, reading, thrifting, or enjoying the outdoors.  With a daughter away at school and club soccer, roadtrips are a big part of my year as well.  

I look forward to getting to know you all this year and what you enjoy as well! I should also tell you this now: I LOVE WORD PROBLEMS.  I LOVE PROBLEM SOLVING.  No matter what your comfort level or love level of math is, I will do my best this year to get you to proudly say those two bold sentences above.  See you all at RGA!  Go Wildcats!!!