I am so excited for THIS school year and THIS class! As a coach, I tell my teams all the time that we must set the tone for the game right from the start.  THIS school year and THIS class are so important to me because they will set the tone for all future students!  Although this is only my second year teaching, I have had an interesting journey that has led me to THIRD GRADE at Circle Benton Elementary!

 

Growing up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I always LOVED working with children - of all ages - and really wanted to be a teacher when I went to college at James Madison University.  When I had to select a major in college, my parents insisted that I major in pre-med, pre-law, or business because teachers do not make any money.  As a young adult, I hesitantly agreed and chose to major in Business with a concentration in Finance.  I spent over ten years as the Business Operations Manager of a private medical practice; but, after having children of my own, I realized I was  dissatisfied with my career and my journey.  My husband encouraged me to leave my job and pursue my dreams. 

 

After leaving the medical practice, my husband (a PGA teaching professional) and I started a company that provided golf instruction to children in preschool all the way up through fifth grade!  I was terrible at golf, but had a passion for teaching - so I quickly learned the fundamentals and after a little bit of practice, I was able to teach young children how to golf. I loved every minute of it!  As my husband continued his instruction at the course, I took over all of the school instruction.  Our staff worked with over 500 young golfers per year!

 

A few years later, my husband received a job offer in Wichita, KS!  We were excited and terrified at the same time because we had never traveled to the Midwest and would be leaving all of our family and friends in Virginia; but, we were definitely up for an adventure and ready to explore the country !  We moved to Andover, KS in July 2016 and soon after we settled, I decided to finally make my dream become a reality.  I applied to K-State and was accepted into their MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) program.  During the MAT program, I was so fortunate to be assigned to the same THIRD GRADE class for the entire 2017-2018 school year because I discovered that I LOVE THIRD GRADE!!  I completed my student teaching practicum and internship at Sunflower Elementary in Andover and loved every second of it.  I graduated from K-State in May 2018 and began teaching at CBE in August 2018.  My first class was AMAZING and I am looking forward to having another AMAZING class this year!  

 

Excited does not begin to explain how I feel about this year!  I am looking forward to getting to know each of you and your families!

 

 

A Few Fun Facts About Me: 

Full Name: Laura Elizabeth Dove

Age: 37 years old

From: Virginia Beach, VA 

Family: Carlton (PGA Director of Player Development at Wichita Country Club), Ava (6th grade),  and Audrey (2nd grade) 

Pets: Snoop Dog the Love Dog [male, 2 years old] and Splash of Fire [female, 1 year old] ...both are Spinones

Hobbies: Coaching (I love sharing my passion for soccer with my competitive girls team); Working Out (everything from running to cycling to strength training to playing soccer with my kids); ANYTHING Outdoors; Crafting and Artwork (my inner kid loves to color and I enjoy drawing when I have time); Sports Spectator (the girls play A LOT of sports!); Staying busy!