Letter to Students and Parents
Dear Students,
Welcome to Reading class! Hope you all had a relaxing summer vacation. Every year, I write a letter to my students telling them about myself: my childhood, my family, my hobbies, my education and career. It's really fun to get a personal letter from someone, so I thought I'd do that for all of you. And in return, I expect a letter from you! (I will probably have about 100 letters to read, so be patient with me; it may take me a few days.) Now hold on to your boots because I have a lot to say!
You may be wondering, "Who are you and where are you from?" I was born on September 19, 1955, in Louisville, Kentucky, to my lovely mom and dad, Dolores Lamkin and Bill Gallrein. My father was (and still is) a farmer and my mother was (and still is) a homemaker. I have 2 sisters, Laura and Michelle, and 1 brother, Bill, Jr. We had a great childhood on the farm: riding horses, hiding in corn fields, playing in the hay barns, feeding animals, and climbing trees. I attended Catholic elementary, middle, and high schools. (My high school was all girls. Wild, huh?) When I was a senior in high school, my family moved to another Kentucky town named Shelbyville; they continue to live and work there today.
Now, you may think to yourself, "Does Mrs. Gutterman have any kids? Is she married?" The answer to both questions is "Yes." Mr. Gutterman and I have been married for 31 years! Wow. Even I am amazed at that large number! My husband, Joe, is a Professional Golfer, which means he plays in golf tournaments for a living; in addition, he works at the Ocean Course for Ginn Development. We have 3 children: Annie, 28, teaches 3rd grade at the Academy of Excellence in Bunnell; she is married and lives here in Palm Coast with her husband, Chris Bruce, and their beautiful daughter, Kaylea, 5, who just started Kindergarten. Andrew, 22, just graduated from the University of Central Florida (UCF), has worked for Publix since he was 16 (That's 5 years!), and also works for a Computer Corporation. Alex, our youngest, is 21 years old. He earned an academic scholarship to college, but decided to stay home and enter the field of professional golf, like his father; he currently works at the Conservatory Golf Course.
As a family, we have had some interesting vacations. We have spent time in Key West for snorkeling, boating, and relaxing in past summers. In winter, we've gone snow-skiing in West Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, and Nevada. Usually, we just go to Kentucky to visit our families. Now that our children are older and busy with their own families and careers, we don't travel as much as a family. One favorite memory is when all of my children and I went to Oklahoma City to watch my huband play in the Senior PGA Championship. (All of you golf buffs might be interested in that bit of news.) Our son, Alex, caddied for him. We had a great time working and playing together. The most outstanding place I visited was Scotland. My husband went there to try to qualify for the Senior British Open; he didn't qualify but we had a wonderful time. When I'm not working or travelling, I like to read, exercise, swim at the beach or in our pool, spend time with my family, and watch good shows on TV.
As far as pets are concerned, we've had a few pets in our lifetime. Although I grew up on a farm with horses, cows, dogs, cats, and various other critters, I've never really been enthusiastic about raising pets in addition to my own children! We've briefly owned a puppy and a kitten. My youngest son always brought snakes and lizards home to visit. Yikes! The only pet that we had for years was a cockatiel (bird) named Sunny. He now lives with another teacher who has a menagerie of birds and is very happy, I hear. I'd love to have horses, but a person needs a lot of land and a substantial amount of time and money, and that's not really our lifestyle here in Florida. Now that you know some things about my personal life, you may be pondering this thought: "Is this lady qualified to teach me?" Well, read the following list and you be the judge.
* Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education (Do you know how many years it takes to get this? ____)
* Master's Degree in Reading (How many years does this take? __)
* Six Graduate Courses in English Education (How many years does this take? __)
* I taught Reading classes at Daytona Beach Community College for 6 years.
* I taught English Composition & Grammar at Cathedral Parish School in St. Augustine for 3 years.
* I taught Language Arts/Reading at ITMS for 8 years. This year begins my 9th year here at ITMS.
QUESTION: How many total years of teaching do I have? ____
Finally, here are a few facts you may find interesting. My husband and I moved to Palm Coast in 1983 (25 years ago). There were no red lights, no fast-food restaurants, no bridge across the intra-coastal, and no four lane highways . There was 1 grocery store, 1 elementary school, 1 middle school, 1 high school. It was a quiet little place then; now it's a busy, fast-growing town. That's all for now. I look forward to having a productive and challenging year with all of you. And I can't wait to read your letters.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Gayle Gutterman