Meet the Teacher
Meet Mrs. Van Ness
My name is Carlee Van Ness, and I am currently in my 5th year of teaching kindergarten at Midland Elementary School. I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. My parents set up a little play school in our basement when I was a kid. They set up old desks for my stuffed animals and dolls, got me a whiteboard, and my grandfather made me a teacher's desk. I spent many hours playing school in my little classroom in our basement, and it eventually lead me to pursue a career in teaching.
I attended Bradley University where I first majored in Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Studies. I absolutely LOVED history, government, and politics, and I really thought teaching high schoolers was what I wanted to do. However, after completing a couple of field placements with older students, I wasn't sure my heart was really in it. A friend of mine suggested that I come help out in her kindergarten classroom, and I immediately fell in LOVE! After the first semester of my sophomore year, I changed my major to Elementary Education and never looked back. I thoroughly enjoyed the elementary level, but my favorite age level by far was kindergarten. Their incredible little minds and hilarious personalities drew me in, and I knew I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher.
After graduating from Bradley University in May of 2013, I landed my first (and only) teaching job at Midland Elementary teaching kindergarten. I absolutely love it and have no plans to leave. I work with some pretty outstanding teachers, especially my two kindergarten teammates, Mrs. McGlasson and Mrs. Gauwitz, who have become two of my best friends over these past several years.
Outside of school, I enjoy spending as much time as possible with my family. My husband, Joel, and I have been married since April 18, 2015. He proposed to me at the end of my first year of teaching with the help of my kindergartners. It was the best surprise of my life! We have a beautiful little boy, Everett, who is the light of our lives! We are very blessed to be his parents.
