Northwood Spotlight: Beth Christofferson

1st Grade Teacher

Where are you originally from and what brought you to Mercer Island schools?

I am originally from Mercer Island and there is no place I’d rather be. I am an Islander to the core and count my blessings every single day that I live and work in a community that is supportive, thoughtful, gracious, honest and innovative. I attended Lakeridge Elementary, Islander Middle School and graduated from MIHS in 2003. My husband is also a MI native. We first met in sixth grade when we both played for the intramural flag football team at IMS; Dane was the only boy who would throw the ball to me. Fast forward to ninth grade and I asked him to TOLO - we’ve been together ever since and we love raising our family together here on MI. 

One of the Mercer Island School District’s core values is that students are the priority  - this directly aligns with my personal teaching philosophy. I am honored, humbled and thrilled to be part of the team of educators, support staff and personnel  who contribute to growing young minds to reach their full potential. That potential is not necessarily who or what society wants students to be or what parents dream of their child becoming - rather it is helping students discover their inner voice and talents - both seen and unseen and yet to be discovered. 

What grade/area do you teach/support and how long have you been in education?

I currently teach first grade and absolutely love it! I taught first grade at Island Park Elementary for many years before launching into various adventures which included time with my two amazing children and husband, volunteering, traveling, becoming the director of a local preschool and going back to school to further my education and understanding of the science of reading. I have been in education for over 15 years and each day brings something unexpected in the best ways imaginable. 

What is your favorite sport or hobby to do when you are not at school?

When I am not at school I enjoy a wide variety of activities based on the season - watching football, cheering my children on at their various sporting events, hunting, skiing, hiking and traveling. 

Where is your favorite place to vacation?

My family and I tremendously enjoy traveling. My most recent unexpected and humbling experience was visiting the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.

What are some small things that make your day better?

Practicing gratitude, owning mistakes, trying again, smiles, honesty, and coffee.

If you had the day to yourself, how would you spend it?

If my house and my classroom were both tidy and ready for the next task at hand I would spend the day listening to audio books, eating out, reading, organizing and then ending the day with my husband, Dane, my son Luke (12), my daughter Emma (9) all sitting down to enjoy dinner together and sharing high, low, buffalo. 

Tell us about your immediate family.

I love my big, spunky family. My immediate family includes my amazing husband and my two wonderful children. Outside of that I have a feisty and thriving mom and dad, five siblings - 4 sisters and 1 brother, 2 brothers in law, 1 sister in law, two wonderful parents in law, and too many cousins, aunts, uncles, and great grandparents to count.

August 2022