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Mr. Nicholas Acquanita

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.

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Ms. Parker Burrows

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!

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Ms. Whitney Illing

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!

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Ms. Jennifer Smythe

Hello! I'm Jennifer Smythe, 2nd grade teacher at Joyner. This will be my 15th year teaching overall and 10th year at Joyner. I’ve taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade. I grew up in Greensboro and I'm a graduate of NC State, where I played soccer. I got my Masters in Elementary Education from UNC Greensboro. 
 
I am married to Will and we have 2 kids, Evan and Kate, who attended Joyner and are now in high school at Sanderson. I also have 2 dogs and 7 pet chickens! In my spare time, I love playing soccer in various adult leagues as well as playing tennis. I love to stay active!

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Mrs. Kathryn West

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 5th 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!

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