Staff Appreciation

Staff Appreciation Week is Almost Here!

Each year we celebrate our wonderful Jefferson Elementary staff with a week of recognition. This includes touching tributes from the kids as well as breakfast and lunch. This year's theme is It's a Jungle in Here because we're WILD about our staff. Below you'll find an index of nice-to-know info about our staff's favorite things.

Additionally, Staff Appreciation week relies on the support of our school community. Please check out this link for opportunities to contribute. No offers of help are too small! Thank you and Go Bruins!

📇 Staff Index 📇

Click on a staff member below to jump to a list of their favorite things and an Amazon wishlist (if provided). If you do not see the staff member you are looking for it is because they have either asked not to publish this info or have yet to provide it. Thank you to our school community and our staff members!

Staff

Mrs. Wong

Amazon Wishlist

Birthday: 10/03

Favorite color: All shades of blue

Favorite places to eat: Dukes (me), Spaghetti Factory (my son), Starbucks

Favorite places to shop: Amazon

Favorite snacks: Anything gluten free, nuts, dark chocolate, etc.

Favorite sweets: No gluten - I love all sweets, especially dark chocolate things

Favorite sports teams: None

Favorite hobbies: Gardening, running, hiking, travel, time with my dog and my son

Favorite flowers: Any :)

Coffee, tea, or something else: I love hot drinks, coffee and tea both!

Things I have enough of: -

Things to avoid: --

Mr. Craig

Birthday: 10/31

Favorite color: Neon green

Favorite places to eat: Azteca or El Toro

Favorite places to shop: Target

Favorite snacks: Goldfish crackers

Favorite sweets: Sweet tarts

Favorite sports teams: Seahawks

Favorite hobbies: --

Favorite flowers: None

Coffee, tea, or something else: Coffee or Mt Dew

Things I have enough of: --

Things to avoid: Lactose intolerant so no dairy please

Ms. Patsy

Birthday: 6/20

Favorite color: All colors

Favorite places to eat: Round table pizza, Spankys

Favorite places to shop: Target, Safeway

Favorite snacks: --

Favorite sweets: --

Favorite sports teams: --

Favorite hobbies: Beading

Favorite flowers: Snapdragons, daisies, all flowers

Coffee, tea, or something else: Tea

Things I have enough of: --

Things to avoid: Candles

Ms. Lugar

Birthday: 3/7

Favorite color: Blue

Favorite places to eat: Red Robin, Applebee's Olive Garden

Favorite places to shop: Costco

Favorite snacks: --

Favorite sweets: Chocolate

Favorite sports teams: --

Favorite hobbies: Reading, quilting, hiking

Favorite flowers: Roses

Coffee, tea, or something else: Coffee, Tea

Things I have enough of: Travel mugs/coffee mugs

Things to avoid: --

Ms. Carmella

Birthday: 6/25

Favorite color: Black

Favorite places to eat: Denny's, I-Hop, Elmer's, Chinese Buffett on 38th

Favorite places to shop: Bath and Body Works, Walmart

Favorite snacks: Nacho Cheese Doritos, Jalapeño and Ranch Ruffles

Favorite sweets: Haribo gummy bears

Favorite sports teams: Seahawks

Favorite hobbies: Movies, happy hour, bowling, miniature golf, relaxing at home

Favorite flowers: Daffodils, roses

Coffee, tea, or something else: Caramel frappe from Starbucks

Things I have enough of: Shoes

Things to avoid: Cakes and pies 😂

Ms. Beni

Birthday: 1/5

Favorite color: Light blue

Favorite places to eat: Coopers, Cactus, Jersey Mike's

Favorite places to shop: Target, Half-price books, Hobby lobby

Favorite snacks: Sweet spicy chili Doritos, chocolate

Favorite sweets: Chocolate, cookies

Favorite sports teams: Mariners, Rainiers

Favorite hobbies: Biking, puzzles, hiking, reading

Favorite flowers: Lilacs, spring flowers, hawaiian flowers

Coffee, tea, or something else: Coffee

Things I have enough of: --

Things to avoid: Too spicy things

Ms. Moll

Birthday: 8/14

Favorite color: Red

Favorite places to eat: Red Hot, Colvos, Moshi Moshi

Favorite places to shop: Compass Rose, Target

Favorite snacks: Cheez-its, Tim's Sour Cream and Onion

Favorite sweets: York Peppermint Patty, Reeses Pieces

Favorite sports teams: Seahawks

Favorite hobbies: Hiking, gardening

Favorite flowers: Sweet Peas, wildflowers

Coffee, tea, or something else: Both and kombucha :)

Things I have enough of: Paperwork ;)

Things to avoid: --

Ms. Baker

Birthday: 11/16

Favorite color: Yellow/Purple

Favorite places to eat: Chipotle/Chick fil A

Favorite places to shop: Amazon

Favorite snacks: Cheese crackers, veggie straws

Favorite sweets: Oreos, lemon flavored desserts

Favorite sports teams: LSU Tigers

Favorite hobbies: Reading, traveling

Favorite flowers: Carnations

Coffee, tea, or something else: --

Things I have enough of: Cups

Things to avoid: Coconut

Ms. Mathurin

Birthday: 1/1

Favorite color: Turquoise

Favorite places to eat: Toast Mi

Favorite places to shop: Hobby Lobby, plant shops, Crescent Moon

Favorite snacks: Chips

Favorite sweets: Chocolate

Favorite sports teams: --

Favorite hobbies: Soap making, candle making.

Favorite flowers: Carnations

Coffee, tea, or something else: Caramel macchiato

Things I have enough of: Coffee cups

Things to avoid: --

Success

Mr. Bissenas

Birthday: 4/6

Favorite color: Pink

Favorite places to eat: Any pizza

Favorite places to shop: Starbucks

Favorite snacks: Chocolate or popcorn

Favorite sweets: Ding Dongs

Favorite sports teams: Seahawks

Favorite hobbies: Hiking

Favorite flowers: Roses

Coffee, tea, or something else: Any coffee

Things I have enough of: Everything

Things to avoid: --

Pre-K

Ms. Wade

Birthday: 8/24

Favorite color: Green

Favorite places to eat: Trapper's Sushi

Favorite places to shop: Amazon

Favorite snacks: Kettle Salt and Vinegar Chips

Favorite sweets: Caramel Chocolate

Favorite sports teams: Mariners, Rainiers

Favorite hobbies: Painting with acrylic paints

Favorite flowers: Sunflowers, Tulips and Carnations

Coffee, tea, or something else: Green Tea, Matcha

Things I have enough of: Pens and Candles

Things to avoid: Gluten food items

Kindergarten

Ms. Adamski

Birthday: 8/22

Favorite color: Pink

Favorite places to eat: Starbucks, Met Market

Favorite places to shop: Fred Meyer

Favorite snacks: Dark chocolate

Favorite sweets: Dark chocolate

Favorite sports teams: None

Favorite hobbies: Legos, baking

Favorite flowers: Anything pink

Coffee, tea, or something else: Black tea

Things I have enough of: Lotion, candles

Things to avoid: Strong smells

Grade 1

Mrs. Bauer

Birthday: 1/14

Favorite color: Green, blue, brown

Favorite places to eat: Pine Cone, Ben Dews, iHOP, Olive Garden, East West Proctor

Favorite places to shop: McClendon's, Fred Meyer, Hobby Lobby

Favorite snacks: Lightly salted almonds, Ritz Peanut Butter Crackers, Frosted Shredded Wheat Cereal

Favorite sweets: Cinnamon Rolls, Oreos, fresh Chocolate Chip Cookies

Favorite sports teams: Seahawks

Favorite hobbies: Gardening, Bird feeding, Squirrel Feeding

Favorite flowers: Roses, Fuchsia, Petunias

Coffee, tea, or something else: Starbucks tall iced mocha with whip, Coca-Cola Classic, Signature Seltzer Water lime (Safeway)

Things I have enough of: Candles

Things to avoid: --

Grade 2

Ms. Pittenger

Birthday: 6/18

Favorite color: Yellow

Favorite places to eat: --

Favorite places to shop: Target

Favorite snacks: Popcorn

Favorite sweets: --

Favorite sports teams: --

Favorite hobbies: --

Favorite flowers: Any & all

Coffee, tea, or something else: Local coffee & tea

Things I have enough of: Starbucks cards :)

Things to avoid: Lotions & candles

Mrs. Brodahl-Busey

Birthday: 9/8

Favorite color: --

Favorite places to eat: --

Favorite places to shop: Target

Favorite snacks: --

Favorite sweets: --

Favorite sports teams: --

Favorite hobbies: --

Favorite flowers: --

Coffee, tea, or something else: --

Things I have enough of: --

Things to avoid: --

Grade 3

Mrs. Findlay

Birthday: --

Favorite color: Blue

Favorite places to eat: Cook's, Tacoma Pie, East West

Favorite places to shop: Target, Metropolitan Market, Amazon

Favorite snacks: Annie's Cheddar Bunnies

Favorite sweets: Donuts, toffee, chocolate

Favorite sports teams: Kraken, Sounders

Favorite hobbies: Reading, knitting, sewing, gardening

Favorite flowers: Yes

Coffee, tea, or something else: Coffeeeeeeeeee

Things I have enough of: Mugs

Things to avoid: Things that will add to my black hole of chaos that is my desk area

Grades 4/5

Mrs. DeRosa

Birthday: 11/8

Favorite color: Autumn colors, pink, blue

Favorite places to eat: Mexican food

Favorite places to shop: Target, Amazon

Favorite snacks: Cheez-its, veggies, prefer savory

Favorite sweets: Minimal but do enjoy a doughnut from time to time

Favorite sports teams: Mariners, Seahawks, Kraken, Thunderbirds

Favorite hobbies: Hiking, traveling, reading, art appreciation

Favorite flowers: Tulips

Coffee, tea, or something else: Yes

Things I have enough of: Mugs, teacher plaques

Things to avoid: Scents such as sprays, candles, etc.

Mrs. Leonard

Amazon Wishlist

Birthday: 10/03

Favorite color: All shades of blue

Favorite places to eat: Dukes (me), Spaghetti Factory (my son), Starbucks

Favorite places to shop: Amazon

Favorite snacks: Anything gluten free, nuts, dark chocolate, etc.

Favorite sweets: No gluten - I love all sweets, especially dark chocolate things

Favorite sports teams: None

Favorite hobbies: Gardening, running, hiking, travel, time with my dog and my son

Favorite flowers: Any :)

Coffee, tea, or something else: I love hot drinks, coffee and tea both!

Things I have enough of: -

Things to avoid: --

Mr. Rhee

Birthday: 10/12

Favorite color: Gold

Favorite places to eat: Stack 571, Chick-fil-A

Favorite places to shop: REI, Bass Pro Shop

Favorite snacks: Pretzels, beef jerky, spicy potato chips

Favorite sweets: Reeses Peanut butter cups, malt balls

Favorite sports teams: Mariners, Red Sox

Favorite hobbies: Fishing, gardening, fishing

Favorite flowers: Succulents, house plants

Coffee, tea, or something else: Coffee (sweet and creamy)

Things I have enough of: Mugs

Things to avoid: Vegetables

SAIL

Mr. Hartman

Birthday: 10/13

Favorite color: Cerulean blue

Favorite places to eat: Gateway to India, Cloverleaf, Tonala

Favorite places to shop: House of Records

Favorite snacks: Peanuts, almonds, cashews

Favorite sweets: Dark chocolate

Favorite sports teams: Mariners, Dodgers, Lakers, Vikings

Favorite hobbies: Music

Favorite flowers: --

Coffee, tea, or something else: Valhalla dark roast

Things I have enough of: --

Things to avoid: --

Specialists

Ms. Kipfer

Birthday: 4/26

Favorite color: Pink or green

Favorite places to eat: New and/or local Tacoma spots!

Favorite places to shop: Target, Half Priced Books

Favorite snacks: Gluten free pretzels, KIND bars

Favorite sweets: Milk chocolate, caramel

Favorite sports teams: Minnesota Vikings

Favorite hobbies: Thrifting, rollerblading, art/painting, gardening/plants!

Favorite flowers: Tulips, lilies

Coffee, tea, or something else: Coffee gal!

Things I have enough of: Pens

Things to avoid: Gluten - I have to eat gluten free.

Ms. Iverson

Birthday: 1/27

Favorite color: Yellow and turquoise

Favorite places to eat: McMenamin's, Pomodoro's, East West Proctor

Favorite places to shop: Amazon, Kohl's, Target

Favorite snacks: Dried fruits, nuts

Favorite sweets: Chocolate!

Favorite sports teams: University of Oregon Ducks, Seahawks, Mariners, Naval Academy

Staff Appreciation