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Annette Rudd

Annette Rudd loves children, art, literature and psychology.  Being a teacher at St. Francis is a dream come true.  She gets to experience all of her loves each day as a language arts and lead teacher for her group of five and six year olds.  Children are full of enthusiasm for learning.  Annette recognizes that they learn best when they feel important to those around them and when their senses are involved.  School is fun for children when they are tasting, touching, singing, dramatizing, listening, moving to rythmic beats and conversing with others.  Learning to read and write are learned in the context of a social environment which promotes humor, self-discipline, risk taking, problem solving and care for oneself and others.  It is Annette's goal for each child to feel accepted, special and engaged in school life every day.

In addition to the St. Francis philosophy and the value it places on each child, Annette thrives in the openness of the school building and the expansive grounds.  Small groups can enjoy intimacy while still being connected to the school as a whole. One group can enjoy moments of another's day, or come to their aid, in a very spontaneous way.

Annette discovered St. Francis when her triplet younger sisters went to the school.  It was love at first sight so Annette went on to finish her undergraduate degree in Liberal studies at UofL .  After a summer in France and a year of assistant teaching at Chance School, Annette earned a Masters in Elementary Education at The College of William and Mary.  Luckily a kindergarten position was open at St. Francis and she has enjoyed 15 years of blissful teaching.

Family time is spent with her husband, Ricky Boland and their two daughters.  Emma is 7 and Evie is 5.  Rick teaches world religions, political geography and psychology at Walden School and he practices psychotherapy.  The family love to wander around their Crescent Hill neighborhood and to travel to the beaches of the Florida panhandle, the mountains of Colorado and the beautiful Torch Lake in MIchigan.  They have lots of friends and extended family to spend time with at home and on their travels. Annette also loves to read novels, garden, play tennis, visit art museums and go out to long dinners at Louisville's fine restaurants.

 Annette recognizes the importance of school in a child's life and the need for parents to be part of their child's "home away from home". She encourages parents to schedule special time to spend with their child and his or her class.

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