Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome back to school and an exciting upcoming year in the FIFTH grade! My name is Mrs. Stoknes and I’m very excited to teach 5th grade at Sakai. I will be teaching English Language Arts and Social Studies and Ms. Walter will be teaching Math and Science. I look forward to getting to know you and can’t wait for a year full of learning and fun!

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and attended the University of Washington as an undergrad and Seattle University for my master's in Teaching. I started teaching in 2004! My experience includes one year in the Seattle School district as a reading/math specialist and 10 years in the Shoreline School district as a 2nd and 3rd-grade teacher. I also took on a leadership role in the Shoreline School District leading teacher training in language acquisition for English Language Learners. I am passionate about teaching and building a classroom community that is caring, positive, and centered on learning.

When I’m not in the classroom, I am at home on the South end of Bainbridge Island with my husband Brennen and twins Liam and Olivia. As a family, we enjoy traveling, hiking on the island, skiing, fishing, visiting our beach cabin on Camano Island, and taking care of our pets, including two dogs, a cat, and a horse! We love living in such a beautiful place and feel lucky to be part of this community.

Sincerely,

Jill Stoknes