NAME:
Cecilia Blankenship
SCHOOL:
Julie Rohr Academy
CLASS:
Middle School Science
SCHOOL PHONE:
941-371-4979
This is my twenty-fourth year as a teacher at Julie Rohr Academy. I am
the Assistant Principal and science teacher for the fifth, sixth, seventh, and
eighth graders. Before coming here, I taught science (and other subjects)for
fifteen years in Virginia.
I love everything about "science." I worked as a veterinary
bacteriologist assistant for the VA Department of Agriculture while in
high school and college. I got to do everything from washing glassware to
animal necropsies to growing and identifying viruses. My dad is a retired
veterinarian who had an animal hospital in our basement while I was little
and who was later a veterinary pathologist. One of my sisters is a
veterinarian with her own mobile practice today, another is a nuclear
engineer, another is a college provost and consultant for science and
technology (she writes science textbooks), and another used to do
illustrations for a nature magazine. My other three siblings take after my
mom and all use the other side of their brains and are in some field relating
to the arts.
I graduated from what is now James Madison University (Madison College
back in the '60s) with majors in biology and general science and minors in
secondary education and chemistry. Then when Virginia switched from junior
highs to middle schools, I had to complete an endorsement in elementary
education. My master's degree had a double emphasis on science curriculum
design and teacher supervison. The specialty area then was earth/space
science. I was fortunate to be able to start in the doctoral program for
educational leadership at William and Mary in Virgina but when we moved to
Florida, those plans were laid aside. Today I keep up by taking online
courses through various universities. Hurrah for "distance learning!"
My husband is a retired educator. Thank goodness he is supportive and
understanding when strange creatures appear in the freezer or when trial
experiments are carried out at home.
When not in school, I spend extra time reading or working puzzles. I
have the privilege of teaching three and four year olds at our church every
weekend. And, of course, I spend as much time with my grandchildren as
possible.
My own kids always said every trip with mom was a "fieldtrip" and today
my grandchildren say, "Let's "do" science, Grandma " and I love to. So
let's "do" science this year at JRA!
To see the wonder of the world of science around us and to "do" science in
an exciting way.