Becky Benedict
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Birthday: March 15th
Hobbies: reading, gardening/flowers/plants, spending time with family
Class Color/Theme: plants/cactus
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite College or Sports Team: Illini
Favorite Places to Shop: Briellas TJ Maxx Amazon
Favorite Places to Eat: Los Zarapes Outback Buffalo Wild Wings
Favorite Snacks: Twizzlers ropes skinny pop pretzel crisps
Favorite Drinks: Diet Pepsi, Bai, Skinny vanilla latte
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: None
Thank you, but I don’t need anymore: candles
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: Support your child’s learning at home
Kelli Benner
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Birthday: October 15th
Hobbies: Traveling, Hiking, Beaches, Cheering on my own kids in their sports/activities!
Class Color/Theme: Flamingos and Pineapples (Yellow)
Favorite Color: Yellow
Favorite College or Sports Team: Illini, Cubs, Packers
Favorite Places to Shop: Target, Ulta
Favorite Places to Eat: Chili’s, Outback, Los Zarapes, Culver’s
Favorite Snacks: Sour Patch Candy, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Sour Gummy Bears
Favorite Drinks: Dr. Pepper, Sparkling Water, Cherry Coke
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: N/A
Kristen Deer
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Birthday: January 2nd
Hobbies: being a mom
Class Color/Theme: mountains/calm
Favorite Color: blue
Favorite College or Sports Team: ILLINI / CUBS/ BLASCKHAWKS/ 49ers
Favorite Places to Shop: Amazon
Favorite Places to Eat: McCallister’s
Favorite Snacks: chex mix of all varieties/ trail mix of all varieties
Favorite Drinks: Unsweet Ice tea
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: none
For my classroom, I’m looking for: cardstock always and paint pens
Thank you, but I don’t need anymore: travel mugs
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: Communicate how their students feel about second grade and work with me as a teammate to make this the best year for their kiddos!
Megan Jones
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Birthday: April 5th
Hobbies: reading, working out
Class Color/Theme: Owls
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite College or Sports Team: Illinois
Favorite Places to Shop: Target
Favorite Places to Eat: Jimmy Johns or any Mexican restaurant
Favorite Snacks: Turkey sticks, Pop-corners chips
Favorite Drinks: Diet Mt. Dew
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: None
For my classroom, I’m looking for: see Amazon wish list 🙂
Thank you, but I don’t need anymore: Knick Knacks
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: read and support their children at home
Julie Kaiser
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Birthday: November 23rd
Hobbies: Traveling, Working Out, Going for Walks, Gardening
Class Color/Theme: Navy, Pink, and Floral
Favorite Color: Navy and pink
Favorite College or Sports Team: Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cubs, Fighting Illini
Favorite Places to Shop: Briella’s, Prairie Gardens
Favorite Places to Eat: Los Zarapes, Chick Fil A, Brix
Favorite Snacks: Doritos, any kind of M&Ms, gluten free Oreos
Favorite Drinks: Coke Zero, Mt. Dew Zero
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: Gluten Intolerance
For my classroom, I’m looking for: Indoor Plants
Thank you, but I don’t need anymore: mugs, water bottles
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: Read with their child daily!
Emily McGill
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Birthday: May 12th
Hobbies: Spending time with my family, cheering on the Illini, cheering on my two children as well as my Sailors, reading, going on walks, baking, shopping, learning how to play golf, playing pickleball, going to garage and estate sales
Class Color/Theme: pink, green, blue, and yellow–Sailor/whale theme
Favorite Color: Pink and Kelly green
Favorite College or Sports Team: Go Illini and Go Bulldogs!
Favorite Places to Shop: Nordstrom, Briella’s, TJ Maxx, Amazon, and Art Mart
Favorite Places to Eat: Jersey Mikes, Ko Fusion, Sunsinger, Breaking Taco, Art Mart, Starbucks, Raising Cane’s, Good Judy’s Bagels
Favorite Snacks: Drizzilicious Mini Rice Cakes, Buffalo wing pretzel crisps, Pirate’s Booty, and any kind of fruit
Favorite Drinks: Diet Coke (can is my fave), Unsweetened iced tea, Pumpkin spiced latte (hot or cold), iced matcha latte, and coffee-black
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: None
For my classroom, I’m looking for: I will never turn down a book for my classroom library. A pre-loved book is just as wonderful as a new one in my opinion.
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: Write a handwritten note–AND keep in touch. Once a Sailor–always a Sailor!
Stephanie Merkle
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Birthday: August 28th
Hobbies: working out, walking, swimming, gardening
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite College or Sports Team: Illini
Favorite Places to Shop: Home Good and Meijers
Favorite Places to Eat: Los, Breaking Taco and Briks
Favorite Snacks: Baked chips
Favorite Drinks: Unsweet ice tea
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: None
For my classroom, I’m looking for: books that go along with our new reading curriculum: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales, Insects, Civil war(2nd grade appropriate)Greek Myths
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: Let me know if things are going well or not going well for their student.
Nicholle Metzger
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Birthday: December 14th
Hobbies: Reading and traveling
Favorite Color: Yellow
Favorite College or Sports Team: Illinois
Favorite Places to Shop: Target or Amazon
Favorite Places to Eat: Breaking Taco and Chick-Fil-A
Favorite Snacks: Anything with blueberries
Favorite Drinks: Coffee- iced coffee with vanilla and oat milk
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: N/a
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: Send a short note of appreciation or work together to make sure that their student has a successful year!
Krista Overstreet
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Birthday: June 16th
Hobbies: Running, gardening, paddle boarding, watching my kids participate in activities and sports
Favorite Color: Navy blue and Kelly green
Favorite College or Sports Team: ILLINI, Cubs, Bears
Favorite Places to Shop: Home goods, Costco, Amazon, Hobby Lobby, Art Mart
Favorite Places to Eat: Texas Roadhouse, chick-fil-a
Favorite Snacks: Popcorn, kettle corn, kettle potato chips, pop corners kettle corn
Favorite Drinks: Cold brew coffee, San pellegrino lemon flavored water, iced americanos
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: Allergic to dairy
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: Support their learners at home and sending notes of thanks.
Jana Raver
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Birthday: December 3rd
Hobbies: Gardening, reading, travel, exercise
Class Color/Theme: Travel/Adventure theme, pale yellow
Favorite Color: Red and pink
Favorite College or Sports Team: Ohio State!
Favorite Places to Shop: Target, Amazon
Favorite Places to Eat: Subway, Dunkin’, Mexican
Favorite Snacks: Gummy Bears, Protein Bars, Dots Pretzels, Baked Chips, Almonds/Pistachios
Favorite Drinks: Dunkin’ coffee, Dt. Mt. Dew, Crush Zero, La Croix, etc.
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions: None
For my classroom, I’m looking for: Amazon Wishlist items are amazing!
Thank you, but I don’t need anymore: Mugs 🙂
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: Support their 2nd grade learners at home, share family photos and news, & positive communication!
Alyssa White
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Birthday: July 13th
Hobbies: Reaching, cheering on the Illini
Class Color/Theme: Bees
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite College or Sports Team: Illini
Favorite Places to Shop: Art Mart, TJMaxx, Target, Yellow & Co.
Favorite Places to Eat: Jimmy John’s, Chick-fil-A
Favorite Snacks: Gardettos, popcorn, almonds
Favorite Drinks: Poppi, unsweet tea
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions:None!
For my classroom, I’m looking for: Indoor recess items
It means the most to me when the parents of my students: Write a thoughtful note 🙂