Ms. Charles began teaching in 2001, when a teacher shortage prompted the urban center of Newark, NJ, to recruit persons of color with undergraduate degrees in math and science. Though a New Jersey native, Ms. Charles has spent most of the past decade as a Georgia resident before relocating to WA with her family last summer. She has extensive elementary and middle school classroom experience; with a focus on Middle Science, Middle School Social Studies, and Gifted Education since 2016. She holds a B.S. in Food Science from Rutgers University and a M.A. in Educational Leadership, Management & Policy from Seton Hall University. Ms. Charles joins us from Tacoma Public Schools, where she has served as an Instructional Coach, supporting the instructional growth of teachers in grades K-3.