Hello! I am originally from New York. I have a master’s degree in education. I have taught K-5th grade. My family moved to Wilmington in 2000. I am married and have two sons. I'm happy to be a Cool Cat!

As a native of Wilmington, I am so excited to be part of the 2021 Cool Cat staff! I come to you with 25 years of teaching experience in New Hanover County Schools and will serve as Wrightsboro's Reading Coach. We are all ready to embark on a great year, full of learning and growth. For a little background, I received my Undergraduate and Graduate degrees from UNCW, an add on license from UNC Charlotte, and I am part of the amazing community of National Board Certified Teachers. My children are teenagers now- one at ECU and one at Laney High School. "The days are long, but the years are short" has never been more true as I think back to when my children were in elementary school not too long ago. My passion for education goes back generations. My grandmother and mother were teachers, as well as other family members. We like to say, "It's what we do best". I believe education is THE most important tool we can empower our children with as they grow up to be productive members of society. And, as educators, it's our honor and responsibility to ensure your child receives a high quality education during their formative years at Wrightsboro Elementary. With your partnership, we can make that happen as we teach our children to never settle. Never stop learning!

Hello! My name is Ms. Cookson. I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach preschool here at Wrightsboro Elementary! This is my 12th year in the early learning field and there truly is no place I’d rather be! Although I am originally from the Midwest, I am a graduate of UNCW, where I earned a B.A. in the Education of Young Children in 2010. After graduating, I spent 7 years teaching public pre-k for New Hanover County Schools. During that time I had the honor of serving as Teacher of the Year for Howe Pre-K and was a top four finalist in the elementary category for our county. Additionally, I was nominated and appointed to participate in the UNCW Master Teacher Program.

My family is my world, and we live just around the corner in Castle Hayne. My husband, Ben, and I have 4 children: Lucy (10), Griffen (7), Frankie (4), and Oona (2). We are a blended family and I love being both a mom and step-mom to our amazing children. I could not be more proud. :) Three of our children will be Cool Cats this year and we are so excited to join the Wrightsboro school family. In our free time, our family loves spending time with our friends enjoying coffee, the beach, and our own backyard.

Greetings families and students! I am a new member of the teaching faculty at Wrightsboro Elementary School for the 2021-2022 academic year. I teach English as a Second Language to kindergarteners through fifth grade students. I am from South Carolina and a die-hard Gamecock fan. I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Human Performance from Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. I also completed a year at the Walt Disney World College Program in Orlando, Florida. I studied abroad in Japan during my time at Roanoke College. I have a Master of Science degree in College Student Personnel from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC and a graduate certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) from the University of South Carolina at Columbia. I am currently attending the Graduate School at UNC-Wilmington to further my graduate level studies in Teaching English as a Second Language. I have taught in South Carolina as an ESL teacher in kindergarten through 12th grades. I also taught college students at the University of South Carolina and Western Carolina University. I am looking forward to growing as a teacher through my experiences in the North Carolina school system.

My interests include music, trivia, comedy, movies, television shows, video games, tabletop games, sports, cars, food/cooking, languages, culture, and travel. I am also learning how to play the guitar. I have visited all states in the continental United States, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. I look forward to a fantastic school year and serving the students, families, and community of Wrightsboro Elementary School.