Hello!  My name is PJ McGuire .  I am the 8th grade Social Studies teacher at River Valley Middle School.  I am very pleased to be a part of such a warm and inviting community.   

 

About Me:  Today, I live in between Spring Green and Dodgeville, but I was born and raised  in the state of Arkansas.  My father was a minister, my mom stayed at home.  When I was in high school my parents decided to go to college to become registered nurses.  I didn’t realize what a challenge for them it was until I too decided to undertake the task of going back to school while working a job and raising a family. 

 

The INSPIRATION TO TEACH came from Mrs. Chappell.  She was my 5^th grade teacher.  My family was poor when I was young.  We moved a lot, and I had a hard time fitting in.  Mrs. Chappell accepted me for who I was.  She gave me lots of praise, and under her tutelage, I developed a self confidence in my studies that I had never known before.  She provided the framework that I needed to believe in myself.  It would seem that I had the ability, but had lacked the confidence to pull it all together.

 

MY LIFE TODAY .  In 1996, I MARRIED Matt, my best friend and biggest cheerleader.  We have TWO delightful DAUGHTERS , Grace Elizabeth, who is 8, and Anna Catherine, who is 4.  As a family we enjoy CAMPING with our HORSES, which we do almost every weekend.  Although we spend most of our time outdoors, when the weather brings us in, the girls and I love to snuggle up to READ books, PAINT pictures, sing silly songs and dance in the kitchen.  There isn't often time left for ME, but when possible, I like to get in a good kick boxing work out, read historical novels, peck at the piano (emphasis on the word peck), and dabble in photography .