Third Grade

I am so excited to be your child's teacher. I am a California native and have lived in Georgia for 20 years. I have two beautiful children. We love to travel and care for our dog Kody. I enjoy roller skating and collecting costume jewelry.

I have been in the field of education for over 17 years. I have experience teaching elementary and middle school.

I obtained my Bachelors of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from California State University Dominquez Hills, my Masters of Arts in Special Education from The University of Phoenix, and my Ed.S in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University.

I am looking forward to becoming acquainted with you and the students at FAVE. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

I am excited to be returning to F.AVE for the 2025-2026 school year! I have previously taught in a variety of environments. I began my teaching career in Bibb County Georgia where I taught for two years before moving to Ecuador to co-teach English. After leaving Ecuador in 2020, I taught for three years in Aiken County in South Carolina before moving here to Decatur. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s of Education in Elementary Education from Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. I look forward to an amazing school year!

Hi! I’m so excited to join the F.Ave family this year!

This is my 13th year teaching and second year at F.Ave. Previously, I taught six years in Gwinnett County, three years as a 1st grade teacher and three years as an instructional coach. I have spent the past four years teaching 3rd grade in Fulton County. 3rd grade is my favorite and I am looking forward to an amazing year with our class!

I am originally from Montgomery, AL and I earned both my undergraduate degree and Masters degree from The University of Alabama. I married my high school sweetheart Hayden, and we live in Kirkwood with our two children, Caroline (5) and Graham (3). When not at school, I enjoy exercising, listening to audiobooks or music, and attending Atlanta United games!

Hi Falcons! My name is Emily Shapiro and I am a new teacher here at F.AVE. I recently graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, along with an ESOL endorsement. I student-taught in Cobb County in 2nd grade and worked as a paraprofessional between graduating and accepting this job. This will be my second year at F.AVE. In my free time, I love to go to the gym, play soccer, and spend time with my family. I am looking forward to beginning my career in this amazing school district and learning about the wonderful community here! 

Hello, friends! I'm Mary Smith, an Atlanta native and an enthusiastic 3rd grade teacher. Going on my seventh year teaching, I am so excited to continue to teach and learn with the amazing F. Ave Family! Outside of teaching, I enjoy playing tennis, shopping, reading, listening to music, dancing, and having fun by the lake. Get ready for a fantastic year full of laughter and striving for excellence! 

Hello, I’m Ms. Staggs! This will be my first year at F.AVE, and my sixth year of teaching. I was born & raised in Roswell, GA, and I just moved to Decatur with my 2 cats, Ollie and Rigatoni, & my dog, Dee. In my free time you can find me cooking new recipes, painting, practicing piano, or in line at Taqueria del Sol. I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University in 2018, and then from the University of Georgia with a Master's in Educational Psychology (concentration in creative and gifted education) in winter of 2019 right before the pandemic hit. 

I have been teaching for over 26 years! I love teaching, especially 3rd grade. 3rd graders are smart AND cool! I grew up in Illinois and went to Southern Illinois University and later Georgia State University. I’ve taught K-12, general, gifted, and special education, as well as spent time literacy coaching and teaching reading. I love teaching and learning at F.AVE because we are IB Learners! I live in East Lake with my husband, daughter, and our dog Sodapop.

I am thrilled to be teaching 3rd Grade F.Ave Falcons. Witnessing our scholars' "lightbulb moments'' happen right before your eyes is one of my favorite things about being an educator. I can't think of another career that empowers young people to make personal connections with their learning experiences so that their confidence and curiosity grows from within. Growing up in a large bilingual military family,mostly in New York and North Carolina, dancing Merengue and hip hop, eating Mangú and Papaya King franks, and reading literature by Julia Alvarez and Toni Morrison, taught me the importance of celebrating diverse perspectives. Prior to reaching 14 years of teaching, I enjoyed a career in Graphic Design and Web Development. In addition to general education, I've taught Spanish and Gifted & Talented. I recently celebrated 24 years of marriage to my college sweetheart. We are proud parents of three awesome kiddos.