My name is Mr. Acquanita. I was born in Rochester, Michigan and was raised in Brookfield, Connecticut. I have 2 brothers, 1 sister, and 2 amazing parents. This is my first year living in North Carolina and first year teaching second grade! I love math and reading biography books. In my free time I love hiking, playing tennis, and watching football! I am super excited for the upcoming school year and for my new 2nd grade class! 

Facts about me:

-I won the national championship at Disney in 8th Grade for football.

-I did 7 different hikes in 7 days with my sister around Connecticut. 

-The Giving Tree is my favorite Childhood book.

Hello! My name is Parker Burrows and I am so excited for another year in 2nd Grade at Joyner! I grew up in Winston-Salem, NC and  graduated from NC State University (go pack!). I love live music, traveling, cooking, the beach, and spending time with my family. A fun fact about me is that I have traveled to five of the seven continents and one day I hope to visit the last two. I love teaching and I want students to experience the love of learning and growing every day. I look forward to making this a special year for all my students in my class!

Hi, my name is Whitney Illing! I am so excited to be a part of the Joyner family this year! I grew up in Mocksville, NC, a small town outside of Winston-Salem. I have always known I wanted to be a teacher! I attended NC State (Go Pack!) where I received my degree in Elementary Education. I then went on to receive my master’s degree in reading from NC State. For fun I enjoy relaxing on the beach, spending time with my family and cheering on the Wolfpack! I cannot wait to spend this year getting to know you and your child!

Hi, I'm Kathryn West! I started teaching in 2009 in Orange County Schools. In that time, I taught 2nd and 3rd grades. In 2019, I moved to Raleigh and joined the wonderful Joyner school family. At Joyner, I taught 5^th grade for the last four years, and am excited to be moving back to 2nd!

I grew up in Carrboro, NC (just outside Chapel Hill- GO HEELS!!). I moved to the mountains of North Carolina to go to college at Western Carolina University, where I majored in Elementary Education.  

I’ve been married to my husband, Luke, for 12 years. We have 2 daughters, Carolina- age 9, and Gabrielle- age 5½, and a cat named Riley. When I'm not at work, I enjoy relaxing, reading, hanging out at the river, playing with my family, doing home projects, and traveling when I get the chance. 

I'm looking forward to a great year!