Staff Directory

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Hello! I am excited to join Magnolia Elementary’s team as the school psychologist. I was raised in Boise, Idaho, completed my undergraduate Psychology degree at Boise State University, completed my school psychology Ed. S. program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and am now enjoying my second year living and working in Seattle! As the school psychologist I am a part of the special education team and lead the evaluation process for all students being considered for special education services. That means you might find me in the school administering tests to students, interviewing parents, teachers, and staff, observing in the classrooms, and writing reports in my office! In my spare time I enjoy anything that gets me outside (volleyball, spikeball, running, biking, frisbee, pickleball), playing board games, and playing piano!

Somi began being a school nurse since 2015 and is at Magnolia Elementary, Lawton Elementary and the Seattle Preschool Program. The kids call her 'Nurse Somi.' Prior to school nursing, Nurse Somi was a charge nurse at Fairfax Behavioral Health on the adolescent unit and just LOVE working with kiddos in every age group. No matter the demographic, her passion is to encourage and educate individuals about their health so that they feel empowered to achieve anything that they set their mind to. Nurse Somi believes that students must be healthy not only physically but mentally, emotionally, and socially to learn well. Nurse Somi loves school nursing because she gets to be a part of a holistic approach to well-being and build relationships with students, their families, and the community. Find Nurse Somi with the dog/cat (whatever pet) at social events.

Personal Message

I am so fortunate to have taught and learned from the amazing community of students, fellow educators, and families at Catherine Blaine K-8 for the past 12 years. I'm always eager for new challenges, so I'm very excited to be a part of the Magnolia Elementary Lead Team. Helping to co-create and design a school has always been a dream of mine and I am grateful for the opportunity to build a student-centered learning environment. I truly love being around creative and enthusiastic young learners; it makes every day memorable. Supporting students and helping them learn and grow makes me look forward to coming to work each day.

I was born in Nebraska and have lived in many US cities as my father was in the Navy. I received my undergraduate degree at Western Washington University and my Master's in Education through Antioch University. My hobbies include cycling, reading and cooking. I live near Green Lake with my lovely wife Rachel and our two adopted dogs Luke and Lupe.

Personal Message I am so happy to be part of the Magnolia Elementary community! I love teaching and learning alongside kids beyond measure and to do so with such a stellar team of educators committed to equity, academic rigor, connection, and belonging for all students is a dream and an honor. My fourth grade teacher, Ms. Barientez (Roseville, MI) was the first person in my life that truly made me feel seen. This very well might be why this particular age of development resonates with me so deeply. I strive to make all students feel seen, heard, and valued. Some of my favorite things about teaching include:

• cultivating a classroom culture based on connection, the power of YET, and inclusivity
• the confluence of ideas, interests, and voices
• the hearts and minds of children
• bearing witness to students identifying their differences and discovering their superpowers
• books, language, research

Personal Message

Hello Magnolia Elementary! My name is Jen Dickens, also known as “Miss D.” Having the opportunity to co-create this school and be part of the design team is a dream come true! I spend each day learning and growing with our future and the most fascinating people on Earth! I can’t imagine it any other way.

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, studied elementary education and Spanish teaching at Central Washington University. I spent my first three years teaching in the Wahluke School District where I taught first grade and bilingual second grade. I continued my education in a Master’s program with an emphasis in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL).

I’ve spent the last 6 years teaching K-2 at Queen Anne Elementary. This community of learners, teachers and families are what kept me there and I feel so lucky to have been a part of this special place. Leaving my QAE family will be one of the hardest transitions in my career, but I am excited and eager to bring some of the values and strategies that made QAE so amazing, to a new community.

My students and families know me as passionate about music, sports, languages, books, my dog and whales.

I’m very fortunate to join such a special team of professionals, creating and establishing a positive learning environment for all of our students at Magnolia Elementary. I look forward to sharing ‘Miss D’ with our learners, families, peers and community, while also learning about all of you! In my heart, this journey is all about coming together to highlight the important values and skills that will empower each student and give them the tools to be good humans while navigating the world!

Personal Message I am honored and excited to serve Magnolia Elementary as an elementary educator. My name is Toni Harmer and I’m a Magnolia resident, parent, and teacher. I did my undergraduate work in Business at Texas Christian University and received a Master of Teaching from Antioch University. My teaching philosophy is based on a foundation of creating authentic relationships with my students and their families. I work to understand my students’ strengths and needs to better serve them. I believe all children can learn but not all in the same way and I utilize music, movement, art, and technology to create engaging projects and lessons for all learners. School is an opportunity to demonstrate democratic values and our role as citizens, and that is true for the classroom community. Student voice and choice are valued in everything including expectations, celebrations, topics of study, and conflict resolution. I work hard to role model social and emotional capacities while acknowledging that I’m an ongoing learner as well and my students are my teachers. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy time with my family including my husband, daughter, son and our two cats.  I love making art, reading, going for walks in our neighborhood and I’m currently learning to play the piano.

Personal Message

Hello! I am beyond excited to be joining the Magnolia Elementary School team. Currently I live in Magnolia and teach 1st grade in Tukwila. I am so grateful for the opportunity to join this incredible team. Prior to teaching in Tukwila I worked in Seattle Public Schools for 4 years as a tutor and student teacher.

I grew up in San Luis Obispo, CA and moved to Seattle for college. During my years at Seattle Pacific University while I was studying Elementary Education, I fell in love with the northwest. After earning my B.A. I pursued my Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Living in Boston for a year made me eager to return to Washington, and I am thankful to be back in this beautiful place.

One of my favorite things about being in the classroom is seeing students develop a sense of ownership and confidence in their accomplishments. Seeing students solve a hard problem and tell me “I am smart!” or “Even though it took me a long time, I got it!” Is why I teach. Building these relationships with students is foundational and essential, and I cannot wait to meet my future students and families. I also love diving deep into great books, science experiments and projects as a class. In my classroom I place a high value on humor and strive to create a community that is welcoming, encouraging, and rigorous.

Outside of the classroom and in my free time you will find me reading, hiking, and traveling.

Personal Message

Greetings! It is with joy and gratitude that I introduce myself as inaugural Teacher-Librarian at Magnolia Elementary. I'm thrilled to establish a dynamic library program at Magnolia and partner with this talented team on positive social change through education. After over a decade in public and private K-8 teaching roles here and abroad, Magnolia will be the second library program I’ve been lucky to launch. I currently serve as founding Teacher-Librarian at Cedar Park Elementary, a new Seattle Public School in Lake City. In this role, I seek to promote a lifelong love of books while harnessing their power to nurture self-awareness, ignite curiosity, and grow empathic global citizens. As at Cedar Park, an early priority at Magnolia is to develop a rich collection that celebrates the diverse voices of our community and our world.

Along with representation, core education values include innovation (opportunities for art, technology, makerspace), community (student leadership, social/emotional learning, strong relationships), and authentic inquiry (boosting students’ natural sense of wonder). While preparing students to be systematic researchers and critical thinkers, I seek to promote balance via antidotes to information overload such as mindfulness, nature, and movement.

I join librarian colleagues across the district and nation in advocating for school libraries, most recently through a collaborative K-12 zine project called Library Love Letters. I live with my husband and two kids (grades K & 3) in east Ballard, where we create lots of things, make lots of messes, and ask lots of questions.

Personal Message

Hi, my name is Devin Liner and I have been lucky to live out my passion as an elementary school teacher for the past seven years! I went to Seattle University for a Humanities of Teaching degree and continued in the program to earn my Master’s in Teaching. I would say that attending Seattle University with the focus around social justice and service instilled a strong understanding and drive to create a racially equitable classroom. Knowing that this is not something to just "achieve", I have sought opportunities for professional development and connections with other educators engaging in such powerful and important race and equity work within the classroom.

My years and experience at Queen Anne Elementary with their focus on Social-emotional learning and Positive Discipline within the classroom align with my hope to teach to the entire child through meaningful connection, voice, and ownership of their learning. Classroom meetings and teaching problem-solving strategies form the heart of our classroom community as we engage in a meaningful exploration of the world.

Outside of the classroom, I am a Pacific Northwest local. I grew up in North Seattle, and later Shoreline and have always felt that this wet, upper left of the United States had a natural beauty to it that I love so much. My happy place is on a beach, exploring tide pools, or hiking somewhere on the Olympic Peninsula or in the Cascades. When possible, I love taking opportunities to see the world, get out of my comfort zone, and try new things. Bringing these stories and experiences back into the classroom is such a gift!

I can’t wait for this opportunity to connect with a new community, motivated educators, enthusiastic students and continue to grow as a lifelong learner.