-
ESL Staff and ACS ESL Plan
Ashe County Schools ESL Staff
Margaret Rutkowsky
My name is Margaret-Jean Rutkowsky. I teach at Blue Ridge Elementary School, Ashe County Middle School, and Ashe County High School. I grew up in Western North Carolina, not far from Ashe County. I have a Bachelor’s degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master’s degree from University of Nottingham in England. I am certified to teach English as a Second Language (ESL), middle grades ELA and Social Studies. I am happy to be working in Ashe County where I can help students achieve their academic and language goals.
Lisa Sibaja
My name is Lisa Sibaja, and I work at Mountain View Elementary School. My teaching experiences include working with grades PreK-12 in art, theater, foreign language and English as a Second Language. After teaching ESL in Maryland, Virginia, and overseas, I returned to my home state of North Carolina in 2015 to work with children in Ashe County. I want to help students enjoy learning, gain confidence in their ability to communicate, and achieve their academic and personal goals.
Kathy EvansMy name is Kathy Evans and I am the ESL teacher for Westwood Elementary School, Ashe County High School, and Ashe County Early College. I have been an educator in North Carolina since 1996. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in English/Secondary Education and a Master’s Degree in Library Science from Appalachian State University. I am certified to teach English as a Second Language. (ESL), Library Media, English 9-12, and middle grades language arts.
In 2009, I transitioned from being a school librarian to an ESL teacher. As a librarian I loved helping English Language Learners and getting to know the families of children from different countries. One day I received a card from a student thanking me for helping her with English when she was a newcomer to this country. This caused me to consider how I could make a difference in another area of education.
It is a huge responsibility and honor to be entrusted with teaching English to speakers of other languages. I am fortunate to have a job that challenges and fulfills me every day.
