This week we're catching up with Mrs. Julie Leong! Let's hear what she has to share with us about how she got her start at SMS and went from school parent to volunteer to teacher, and put her technological background to great use!
Name: Julie Leong
Grades/Classes you teach at SMS: K-8 Technology/Makerspace, 7 and 8 Religion
Experience: In 2002 when my daughter started Kindergarten, I volunteered in the library to add labels to the books for automation. I continued from 2002-2016 as a library volunteer/story reader. In the spring of 2016 I became a substitute teacher, and in the Fall of 2016 I took a long term sub position in middle school teaching Grammar and Vocab, which turned into a permanent position. I taught Grammar and Vocab as well as Religion in middle school until the Fall of 2021 when the Technology/Makerspace position became available. Having graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a technical background, I am able to introduce students to engineering design challenges which emphasize open-ended problem solving and encourage students to learn from design failures and make improvements.
Spouse/children/pets: My husband Ronald is a mechanical engineer who works at Linde, he and I have three children: Caitlyn, SMS class of 2011, Brendan, SMS class of 2015, and Dylan, SMS class of 2021. I also have two pets, Cassie and Kenji (Lhasa Apso dogs).
Hobbies/talents: sewing, cooking, traveling to Disney World
Favorite food: dark chocolate dessert after a steak dinner
Something you always tell your students: In religion class we always discuss WWJD -"What would Jesus do?". In tech/makerspace I always tell my students "Don't ever doubt, believe in yourself!"
Anything else you’d like people to know about you: I was born and raised in Boston, MA so occasionally by New England accent comes through!
Thank you Mrs. Leong for all you do to teach your students to think critically, embrace challenges, and learn about Jesus - we are lucky to have you at SMS!