Hello, my name is Raya Smith, I am a kindergarten teacher at Rieke Elementary for the 2020-2021 school year.  Ever since I was a young kid everyone always told me I should be a teacher, so going into college I knew that teaching was the path for me.  I have had the pleasure to work in many grade levels and schools through Portland.  Growing up in the Portland Public School system and now teaching in the same school I went to in the early 2000s is the dream that I never thought would become much more than a dream.  Working with young minds and spirits of our future is a true joy, the biggest of which is seeing the look in your students face when they are learning something new or accomplishing something that they have been struggling with.  This year might be a little different in the way we are able to teach and interact with our students but by no means does that make it any less important, gratifying or fulfilling for use as educators in their journey to success.

My name is Julianne Reddekopp and I have had the privilege of teaching students in Portland Public Schools for over twenty years. I taught first grade and kindergarten students at Humboldt School for ten years and this is my 14th year teaching kindergarten students here at Mary Rieke Elementary School. Kindergarten is such an exciting time for children, parents and teachers. For each student, an amazing amount of change and growth occurs in one short year. I treasure that I get to witness this wonderful transformation each year. 

Why do I do the work I do? The main reason is because I love learning and I want to help the students in my class develop a lifelong love of learning. So much perspective and understanding can be gained through learning. Not only that, but learning is empowering. It can build confidence and lead to new opportunities.  I want my students to have the chance to see how big the world can be, and how many possibilities await them.

Another reason I became a teacher was to pass on my love of school. School can be a hard place for many students. We ask a lot of them and don’t always give much in return. I grew up in a community that valued education and created environments where I was challenged and engaged. Because of this, I found school to be a positive place.  The fact is, students have to be here, and my job is to make school an engaging, challenging and positive place so that students WANT to be here.  

I was born and raised in South East Portland, Oregon and am a product of Portland Public Schools! I love Portland and feel very fortunate to live here. My wife’s name is Meytal and we have a daughter named  Tsufi. She is in 1st grade here at Rieke. We also have a cute little dog named Penny. We live in SW Portland by PCC and I am doing my best to bike to school.

I attended the University of Oregon for my bachelor’s degree and later attended Concordia University for my Master’s Degree in Education. I have lived and taught English, along with other subjects in Taiwan, Israel (where my wife, Meytal, is from) and Australia. Portland is my home and I’m happy to be back here working at Rieke! 

I started teaching English as a second language when I was 22 in Taiwan. There I came to the realization that I knew this was the profession for me. Teaching character and community building is a big reason I love teaching. If I can help students become productive, responsible and contributing members of society then I will feel successful. In addition to that I love the challenges and excitement that each day brings as an educator. I have taught 3rd, 4th and have been teaching 5th grade for years now. 

When not in the classroom I love to be in the outdoors: hiking, rafting, kayaking, nature photography ( here are my photos and more recently golf. I also am a big fan of Oregon sports, most notably the Trail Blazers and the Oregon Ducks Football. 

Please feel free to contact me anytime. Email is best for me: spollock@pps.net

"What is amazing about being a teacher is that it fits me like an old shoe.  My parents were both teachers, my sister is a teacher, my grandmother was a teacher...it's just in my DNA.  When I work with students and hear them tell me and then show me that they understand what they are learning really reinforces their positive growth mindset.  My role in the classroom is to foster that love of learning on all levels so that my students come to class each day with a great attitude about school and all that it offers."

I strive to make a difference in our community by forging a deep and lasting relationship with each student. Teaching is fulfilling, rewarding, and I take pride in my work with young people. I believe that all students are capable of success in a myriad of different ways. My main goal is to foster a passion for exploring and learning while developing critical thinking skills. I want my students to know that I care about each of them; and I value their diverse experiences. Students might not remember everything that I taught, but I hope they will remember how I made them feel.

My name is Maia Foley-Weintraub, and I am not only a teacher at Rieke, but the parent of a kindergartener at Rieke. I grew up in NE Portland, and after high school I moved to San Diego where I got my BA degree at San Diego State University. In 2005 I moved back to Portland to pursue my MAT (Masters in Teaching) at Concordia University. 2023-2024 will be my 17th year teaching 3rd graders! I consider myself lucky, because I have been a Rieke Rocket Crew Member since I started teaching. As an educator, I strive to inspire my students. I believe in the importance of building an environment for students in which they are encouraged to ask questions and share their opinions, and they feel safe doing so. I teach my students to value each other's differences, consider multiple perspectives, and make sure everyone's voice is heard.

I’ve been teaching at Rieke for 9 years, however, this wasn’t my first career. I worked in banking and investments for a few years, before I realized I had no passion for that career. I am an educator because that’s where my passion is. 

Every day I get to laugh and learn with my students. I get to wonder and ask why with my students. I get to succeed and make mistakes with my students. I never know what thought or revelation they’re going to have.  Every day is something new and exciting. 

My name is Jill Rebholz, I use she/her pronouns. I have been teaching in elementary schools since 1996, but have been at Rieke since Fall of 2010. I have been working with 2nd grade learners since 2001; and I adore it! 2nd grade is such a wonderful and magical year of growth, exploration, reflection, and independence. I am passionate about recognizing each child’s uniqueness and supporting them through their journey of 2nd grade. I believe in setting children up to be successful, proving them with a variety of opportunities to grow, and cheering them on as they persevere through challenging situations. I feel fortunate to be part of a community of learners at Rieke (staff, students, and families) who strive for growth, and celebrate the work that goes into it.

Outside of school I enjoy spending time with my family. We have fun together on game nights, hikes, vacations, movie nights, and even home renovations! We are a family that works hard, plays hard, and loves deeply.

My name is Don McKie  and I am excited to be part of the Rieke community! I have two grown children who attended Portland Public Schools in SW Portland. I have taught grades K through 4th, and I have enjoyed each grade I have taught.  

I love teaching. I strive to create a place where each child feels they belong. I consider playfulness, joy, and laughter essential elements of a successful classroom community. I value curiosity, empowerment, and the ability to work through challenges. I work to create a caring community where students have the tools they need to solve problems, find answers, and express themselves. Each year is a journey we make together. By the end of the journey, my goal is that each student feels success.

I believe a high quality of life is a balance of healthy body, mind and spirit.

I do what I do because I want our youth to be happy, healthy, confident and courageous. When you know how to move your body, can challenge your mind and have the skills to take care of both-- you love yourself, and others.

I am proud of myself for my determination and perseverance.

I am proud of my students for their bravery and kindness.

Aspiration: To inspire youth to take care of themselves and each other.

What sustains me: The students I teach fill me with great hope for our future.

I teach art to empower kids! From the very beginning of childhood development, kids learn they can change their world by making a mark on it.  Through visual art, I want to help children learn to express themselves and gain a deeper understanding of other perspectives and cultures. Our students learn valuable skills through the arts to become leaders, creative thinkers, collaborators and hard workers.  

When my students’ eyes light up with excitement as they enter the art room, when I witness them persevere through challenges during the creative process then experience fulfillment in seeing the awesome things they create; that sustains me as a teacher.

The arts are uniquely human. Experience and participation in the arts makes us more humane. Students can develop empathy and imagine a better world. For all these reasons, I am proud to work with our young people; our future.

Hello! My name is Hunter Johnston, and I have the pleasure of being the Teacher Candidate in Mrs. Smith's Kindergarten class for the school year of 2023-2024. I graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor's in Child, Youth, and Family Studies. I am now currently enrolled in an Elementary Education 1-year graduate program and will be with you and your student for this entire school year to complete my Teacher Candidate Placement and my licensing! I am so excited to be a part of the classroom and your child's academic journey! A little about me, I am a Portland local and have lived all over the Portland Metro area. When I'm not at school, I love to be outside, spend time with my cats, and try new restaurants in the area! A huge thanks to all of you and Mrs. Smith who has opened up her classroom to me. Here's to a great year! 

I love teaching.  I especially love teaching at Rieke where children come to school eager and ready to learn, families are positive and supportive, and the staff rocks!  I aspire to open children's eyes to new ideas and help them be their best selves academically, emotionally and socially.  Rieke is my home away from home and the community is my extended family!

I teach because I love it.

I have always been a school person. Learning has been a lifelong passion. I was the kid who raised their hand all. the. time. I blurted the answers out in my enthusiasm. I relished homework. But becoming a teacher was not a straight line for me. I had graduated from college and lived some real life before I decided to go back to graduate school and make teaching and learning my full time profession. Once in the classroom, I felt like I had found my place.

 Watching kids grow, academically and emotionally, is one of the most rewarding things I can imagine.

 My own family, two boys and my husband, love to learn as well. We love to learn about new places and history so we travel to fun places. While we will not be physically travelling the world this year, we in Room 1 will be learning about new ideas and new concepts. We will be making new friends and new connections.

 I teach because I love it and I’m so happy to be able to share that with your child and your family.

The world is overflowing with things to learn, and I love to help students navigate this abundance of knowledge as a library media specialist. As a child, I often found school boring and disconnected from the "real world." As an educator, I strive to keep learning engaging and relevant to our community. My goal is for all students to come out of our library empowered to wonder, ask, seek, and create... And to love reading.

While I am new to Portland, I've lived in the northwest nearly my entire life. (Hello from the upper left-hand corner of the map!) I have worked in education since 2016 with experience in 4th and 5th grade classrooms as well as school libraries. Outside of school you'll find me running, going on outdoor adventures, trying to keep my cat entertained, and -- of course -- reading.

My name is Nicki McNutt and join this fabulous staff as their School Based Instructional Coach.  As an educator, I am a lifelong learner always striving to learn alongside my students and my colleagues.  I love the job of teacher and coach whether it is with elementary students or the adults and teachers in their lives.  My role as a building Instructional Coach will allow me to support, motivate, and challenge both the students and staff here at Rieke Elementary. During my 25 years in education I have had the privilege of being a classroom teacher, a special education teacher, and an Instructional Specialist.  I have admired the amazing community here at Rieke and look forward to being a part of its continued success.    

I am very fortunate to have grown up around other cultures and languages, and this created a desire to learn even more.  My interest became cemented to turning this love of languages and cultures into teaching, when I taught EFL (English as a Foreign Language) in China.  Over the decades, I’ve worked in many different PPS schools and programs ranging from a self-contained classroom of non-English speakers, to helping kids in groups attain English proficiency.  I continue to do this work because seeing the dazzling sparkle in a child’s eye when they understand something that they’ve been struggling with, still gives me the goose bumps.