1st Grade

Sarah Furness

Hello Carson families! I have been privileged to be a part of this amazing community as a parent and I am so excited to take on the new opportunity of teaching 1st grade! I discovered my passion for teaching in middle school where I taught a preschool program while working in an in-home daycare. I later taught dance to young kids during my high school years and again as an adult. I have a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado and have received my cultural and linguistic certification. After college, I taught toddlers, preschool and kindergarten at a Goddard and Primrose school. Most recently, I taught kindergarten in Aurora Public Schools for four years. I’m a mom to three boys; our oldest will be a 2nd grader and our middle will be a kindergartner here at Carson this fall. I am a Colorado native, an avid yogi and lover of dance, sports, hiking, gardening, reading and coffee.

Katie Turner

Teacher
Katie_Ridder@dpsk12.net

Hello! My name is Katie Turner, and I am excited to join the Carson Elementary team! I have over a decade of teaching experience, ranging from Early Childhood Education to fifth-grade instruction. My experience teaching Elementary Education started at Willow Elementary, where I taught first grade for six years until I transferred to a K-5 Reading and Math Interventionist position. I hold a Master’s degree in Reading and Literacy. I am passionate about the Science of Reading and fostering a love of reading in students along with strong literacy foundations.

When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy reading, listening to podcasts and music, hiking, and being outdoors with my two boys, Curtis (7) and Levon (5). I love continuing to learn and be creative. I am thrilled to be back in a first-grade classroom at Carson Elementary and cannot wait to get to know the community!

Emily Ward

Teacher
Emily_Ward3@dpsk12.net

I’m Emily Ward and I am so excited to join the Cougar community for my fifteenth year of teaching. I have been fortunate enough to work with students from preschool through sixth grade and have loved experiencing their different ways of thinking and learning. The younger students have always held a special place in my heart though, so I am beyond happy to be joining Carson with the first grade team.

Learning has always been a passion of mine so I earned my Masters of Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Math and Science Education and am beginning classes to start my Masters in Teaching with an emphasis in Reading Education. I have also (very) slowly been learning French and enjoy testing out new baking skills when I get a chance.

My computer-animator husband and I have two daughters who are starting 3rd and 1st grade this year. They keep us busy with their sports and activities, but we also love family trips to the museum, zoo, and finding a nice spot at the park in the sunshine with our shaggy old mutt pup.

In the rare moments of free time, I enjoy reading, traveling to new places, crafting, admiring clouds, yoga and sipping a hot cup of tea.