We are proud to feature Kristie Merrill, a 2nd-grade teacher at Walker Elementary. Kristie has been with the district and at Walker since 2015, serving in several capacities, including as a Special Circumstances Instructional Aide (SCIA) and a Math Intervention teacher. She completed her student teaching at Walker in 2019 and moved into a full-time 2nd-grade classroom in the fall of 2020.

Her Principal, Helen Nelson, notes that Kristie is a wonderful team player who consistently helps her colleagues and volunteers for committees, including helping with the student council. "She is cheerful, friendly, reliable, and a hard worker," Mrs. Galt shares. "The students love being in her class."

What Kristie likes best about teaching is witnessing those "AHA" moments when a student realizes they can read or finally masters a tough math concept. She describes those light bulb moments as the heartbeat of her classroom and the primary reason she loves her profession.

A fun fact about Kristie is that she has lived in nine different states, ranging from Alaska to Georgia, but eventually returned home to Fortuna. Her career has come full circle, as she now teaches at the very same school she attended as a 3rd grader when it was known as South Fortuna Elementary. We are lucky to have Kristie’s passion and local roots at Walker Elementary. Thank you, Kristie, for all you do for your students and our school community!