Mara Powers

Teacher website: https://mrsmarapowers.weebly.com/

My involvement with Crosslake Community School began 13 years ago when my daughter, now a senior at Perpich Center of the Arts, started here as a kindergartner.  Both of my children are CCS alumni and I feel that their experience at this school really helped to shape them into the incredible people they are today.  My dedication to this school and it's success runs deep, both professionally and personally. 

I appreciate CCS's commitment to a high quality of academic instruction.  I teach small group and individual academic direct instruction in the areas of Math and Reading. Though I greatly enjoy all subjects, my focus and specialty as an educator is literacy; I simply love teaching kids to read!  I am highly committed to continuing my own learning, constantly on the lookout for additional educational experiences to bring my own teaching practice to the next level, to better serve our students.  I am currently continuing my education through graduate studies at Bemidji State University, involvement in a High Reliability Teaching program, and working as a teaching assistant for BSU's teacher preparation program in the area of Human Relations in Education. 

I serve on the board of directors, am on the Environmental Education Committee, PTO, Student Success Committee, and teach 5th and 6th grade Visual Art.  Environmental Education and the Arts are two areas where my personal and professional life blend, as I am a strong advocate for both.  CCS is an Environmental School, authorized by the Audubon Center of the Northwoods.  We have a commitment toward Environmental Literacy and a responsibility to help our students to become conscientious environmentally-minded citizens.   Teaching children about the importance and wonders of nature fits perfectly into my passion for Arts Education, an area of much-needed attention and advocacy in today's education system.  I am part of a Minneapolis-based advocacy group called Art to Change the World - as I truly believe it can change the world!  Art is an important subject to be taught in our schools, as it's lessons and benefits have far-reaching affect throughout a student's education, as well as their lives outside of school.  Fostering an appreciating and care for our natural environment and an understanding of artistic processes, including problem solving and flexible thinking are just a few ways that CCS teaches the whole child.  I am proud to be a part of a school with such a holistic view of education.