Mrs. West - K/1

I received my BSE from Kansas State Teachers College and have dual certification in elementary ed. and early childhood. I received my Master's degree from NIU and have an endorsement in early childhood special education.

I am honored to be recently recognized in Who's Who Among American Teachers. I have been teaching for 23 years and have been at Landmark School teaching K-1 since it opened in 2001 as a multiage year-round school.

My family lives in Woodstock. We have been in this area for 31 years. We have two sons who are away at college. My husband and I love to travel, watch movies (especially inde. films) and enjoy the great outdoors. My very favorite thing to do is to read out on our screened porch.. I highly recommend Three Cups of Tea by G. Mortenson and D.O Relin and Mayflower by N. Philbrick. Check them out!

Born and raised in Bartlett, IL, I was an only child. Growing up I loved being outdoors with my friends. Today I reside in McHenry with my husband Scott and our 2 daughters Mackenzie and Mckenna. I have taught 4/5 and 2/3 at Landmark School.

I love to read for myself and to my children. My favorite children's author is Margie Palatini and my favorite book of hers is Piggie Pie.

Mrs. Hodge - 2/3

Mrs. Dowell - 2/3

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, I grew up with my parents and a younger brother in Kirkwood, a small suburb of St. Louis County. Naturally, I am a devout fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Rams! Currently, I live with my husband, Mark, and two children, Noah and Ava, in McHenry, Illinois. In my spare time, I love to read, play softball, water ski, downhill ski, and spend time with my family.

I have taught here at Landmark since we opened in 2001. My favorite books to read aloud to my students are those written by Kate DiCamillo, particularly The Tale of Despereaux.

I was born in Elgin, IL and spent most of my life there. My family camped and vacationed a lot! We often went to spend time with relatives on the east coast and I developed a deep respect for the ocean. When we camped, we went mostly to Wisconsin and that's where I fell in love with the outdoors. When I was trying to decide on a major for college, a counselor told me I could camp for a living if I majored in Recreation Administration...so I did! I liked working at camps a lot, but the one thing I liked most about it was spending time with children, and that's when I decided that I would become a teacher.

I got my Master of Arts in Teaching in 2006 from National Louis University, and I am so excited to be on this new adventure at Landmark! It is so neat to have a class that shares many of the same interests as I do - reading, camping, eating pizza, being with friends and laughing! I'm really looking forward to learning as much, if not more, from my students as they do from me.

Ms. Phillips - 2/3

Mrs. Darst - 4/5

I have been teaching at Landmark since it began in 2001. I was part of the planning and design team. Previous to Landmark, I taught at Hilltop for 12 years. Before that I taught in Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; and Long Grove, Illinois.

My favorite age of students to teach is 4th and 5th grades. They can be so funny and they love to learn. My favorite subjects to teach are math history, and reading. I love teaching at Landmark because we are a community where learning is the number one priority.

I am very excited to have joined the Landmark Elementary School staff this school year. I graduated from National Louis University with a Master of Arts in Teaching in 1992 and studied theater and the arts at Columbia College as an undergraduate. I have previously taught 2nd - 5th grade at Prairie Crossing Charter School in Grayslake, a school with a mission to reach young learners through environmental education. I also spent several years as a third grade teacher in Kildeer District 96.

My interest in environmental education continues in my new position, as our 4th and 5th grade students are enjoying outdoor journaling and other activities to help them understand and appreciate the ever-changing Earth.

In addition to teaching elementary school, I have taught theater and drama to children in McHenry County as well as directed local children's theater productions. I am an avid outdoor photographer, participate in stewardship opportunities through McHenry County Conservation District, and enjoy collecting fossils and studying Illinois history. I live in rural McHenry County with my family and a wide variety of pets.

Mrs. Johnson - 4/5

Mr. Goodman - 4/5

I have been teaching for sixteen years in District #15, this being my fourth year here at Landmark. I decided to become a teacher because I love to work with young people and I thought that school should be much more engaging than it was when I was a child. I did my undergraduate work at the University of Iowa and received a Master's degree from National Louis University.