Day in the Life: Staci Desatnick, Math Teacher & Department Chair

Morning Kickoff

What’s your typical morning routine before school?

Since arriving at LPS 24 years ago, I have become a morning person. I am much more productive in the morning- so I arrive at LPS at about 6:00 am (I am actually the 2nd teacher to arrive each day!) I turn on my Smartboard and my laptop, make sure I have my Google Slide with the group plan for the day ready, photocopy, then correct HW or complete whatever lesson planning or paperwork that needs to be done for the day/week.

Do you have a go-to breakfast, coffee order, or ritual that gets you ready?

While I don’t visit Starbucks every day, I do enjoy a white chocolate mocha and sometimes their bacon gruyere egg bites for a treat! When it gets closer to Thanksgiving, I really like Starbuck’s brulee latte. Most days, I eat cereal at my desk as I get ready for the day.

How do you set the tone for your students when the day begins?

I try really hard to set the tone of the day by making sure I greet everyone by name as they enter our homeroom. We might chat about our weekend or whatever is going on in our lives. And when the bell rings, I always call out to everyone to have a good day.

 

In the Classroom

Describe what your day looks like.

This year, I am teaching 4 math classes, 3 are MS classes, and the 4th is a HS class, which is new for me. I have lunch/recess duty every 3 weeks , and occasionally join parent/IEP meetings. 

How would your students describe you in three words?

I think most students would describe me as hard working, enthusiastic, and loud (I mean, I can’t really hide that).

What’s something that always makes you smile during the school day?

I love when former students stop me in the hall or poke their head in my door (when I’m not teaching) and tell me how their HS math class is going. It’s great to hear about their progress and their accomplishments as they move through high school. I love when they say 'hi' as they go by.

 

Behind the Scenes

What’s something people might not realize you do outside of direct teaching)?

In addition to teaching math classes, I am the supervisor of the Math Department, so am often running around to a variety of meetings in both buildings. I am also a PLC (Professional Learning Community) Team Facilitator, so I co-lead a team of my peers by following a designated group of students and making sure they are making progress, both academically and socially.

Do you have a go-to snack or energy boost that keeps you going mid-day?

Candy. I like candy. I usually have a couple pieces of some kind of milk chocolate in my mini-fridge or some gummy bears or sour patch kids in my desk drawer. 

What’s one small detail or habit that helps your classroom/office run smoothly?

Something I do that helps me keep my classroom running smoothly is color-coded schedules. I color-code everything digitally, but I still like to print out a paper copy to refer to.

 

After the Bell

How do you usually wrap up your school day?

I try to end my day by catching up on any emails I didn’t get to during the school day and as much as possible, I try to correct the previous night’s HW before I leave (it can pile up quite quickly). I also look at my calendar and make sure I know what meetings and paperwork I have due the next day.

What are your favorite hobbies or activities outside of school?

Outside of school, I enjoy time with my friends and my family, especially my 12.5 year old niece. I love to scrapbook, knit, and love spending time wandering around art museums. I joined a gym 9 months ago, so I’ve been going to the gym 4x/week.

What does your evening routine look like?

My evening routine is pretty tame. Usually I make dinner, maybe read a little, watch tv, knit (it helps me relax). I might catch up on phone calls or texts.

 

In closing

One of my favorite parts of being an educator at LPS is seeing the expression on a student's face when they successfully follow the steps of a long division problem or they get their first A+ on a math quiz...their success is my success! So many students arrive at LPS with past negative math experiences; I try to support them to see their strengths in math and love helping them become more confident math learners.