HCR's Rosie Reader
Teacher Introductions for Kindergarten!
Meet the Kindergarten Team
Mrs. Gerling
Hello! I am so excited to be part of the kindergarten team this year. I am looking forward to all of the memories we will make as we learn together!
Kindergarten is full of fun and you will love it. You will make many friends, learn to read, write, and so much more! You will become a scientist and do experiments; you will study different parts of the world by learning from your classmates, and you will even have the chance to decide how you deepen your learning by being a part of our learning centers each day!
Before we get started on this incredible year, I thought you might like to know a few things about me. This will be my 6th year teaching and it is truly my passion! I live with Mr. Gerling and our puppy dog, Louie. We love to spend time in our backyard, go on walks and take family trips to the lake. It’s safe to say we love warm weather! When the weather isn’t so nice, I enjoy spending time reading, watching movies, and cheering on the Blues and Cardinals. I am also a huge fan of popcorn and all things rainbow!
I am so lucky to be one of the kindergarten teachers and I can’t wait to get to know you and your family better! Welcome to kindergarten.
Love, Mrs. Gerling
Mrs. Larson
Hello families,
My name is Kate Larson, and I am thrilled to be a Highcroft Kindergarten teacher! This year marks my 7th year as a Highcroft sweetie and my 15th in education. I’ve taught both Kindergarten and 1st grade through the years and truly believe there is magic that happens in this first year of school. I’m so thankful to get to experience it with you!
My life away from school includes lots of my favorite things. My sweet husband, our 6 kids Ethan & Jackson (16), Owen & Josh (13), Madilyn (10) and Morgan (9), and three dogs (Ray, Mato, and Kaldi), fill my days with lots of fun. When we aren’t chasing kids Mr. Larson and I enjoy distance running and biking...you might even see us running up to Highcroft some days.
As you will soon learn, I love to exercise, explore St. Louis, hike, sing, laugh, tell corny jokes, take pictures, quilt, and read! I can’t wait to help you grow as a reader and watch your pride as you write your very own books this year!
Sincerely,
Kate Larson
Mrs. Trokey
Hello!
I am so lucky and excited to be one of the Highcroft Ridge kindergarten teachers this year! I absolutely LOVE teaching kindergarten and I think that we will have an amazing school year learning and growing together!
Kindergarten rocks! You will learn to read and write books. You will become a problem solver in math and play fun math games with your friends. You will become a scientist doing your own experiments. A favorite time of the day is learning centers, where you can choose where you want to learn and play. You will even learn our Highcroft song--Hooray!
I am really looking forward to getting to know you! In case you’re wondering about me… I have served as a preschool teacher, second-grade teacher, parent educator, and for the last 13 years in my all-time favorite position-- as a kindergarten teacher. I am also a Highcroft sweetie and proud graduate of Parkway Central. I am a life-long learner and have continued my education even after acquiring my master’s degree in education.
When I’m not at school, I like to read, travel, bake, craft, hike, host parties, and fundraise to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. My husband, Mark, and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary this summer. Our son, Jacob, is 26 and lives in Los Angeles, California. He works as a video editor after graduating from college at Loyola Marymount University. Our daughter, Isabelle, is 23 and lives in St. Louis. She is a management trainee for Enterprise after graduating from Missouri State University. We also have 2 mini Goldendoodle dogs. Truman is 7 and Winston is a year old.
We are going to have such fun as we learn, laugh, and grow together. I can’t wait to see you for us to start our school year together. Up, up with Highcroft!
Love,
Mrs. Trokey