Contact Ms. Hynes: kelly.hynes@bvsd.org

Family:

I grew up in the Adirondacks of upstate NY in a small town called Malone (not far from Lake Placid). As a child I did lots of camping and skiing, so it only took one trip to Colorado to realize this was the place I wanted to live. The opportunity to ski on snow rather than ice was a major selling point for me.

Currently, I live in the Washington Park neighborhood of Denver with my husband Tom Damon and our golden retriever named Maddie. Like most people who live here we love the outdoors and spend our weekends biking, skiing, hiking, etc.

Tom and I are avid travelers. We especially enjoy traveling to other countries and getting to know the people and the culture. Since Tom plans adventure trips all over South America, we have spent time in many countries including Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador (including the Galapagos Islands), Argentina and Brazil. In addition we have traveled in Europe, Nepal and Central America. I definitely have some favorite spots that I would love to return to but have enjoyed every experience and every country.

College and Teaching Background:

I attended Siena College, near Albany NY, for undergrad. where I received a B.S. in Finance. I tried the corporate world for a couple years as a Financial Analyst and Accountant but quickly realized it wasn’t my passion. At that point I moved to Denver to pursue a Masters in Instruction and Curriculum with an emphasis in Special Ed. Since then I have returned to Grad school twice once for a Reading Endorsement and the last time for an Administration License and a degree in Administration and Policy Studies. I have been teaching since 1996 and could not think of a better way to spend my days than surrounded by kids. I have taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade as a classroom teacher as well as a Reading Specialist. I view each day as another opportunity to help my students discover their talents and a love of learning.

A Few Fun Facts and Favorites:

Zodiac sign:
Favorite TV shows:	Will and Grace and Grey’s Anatomy
Favorite teachers:	Mrs. Wemette (French) and Mr. Burke (H.S. Math)
Favorite athletes:	Lance Armstrong and Steve Young
Favorite number:	Don’t really have one
Favorite authors:	Patricia Polacco, Tomie dePaola, and Dan Brown
Favorite food:	Sushi, Thai food
Favorite movie:	Goodwill Hunting, Chocolat, Life is Beautiful
Favorite board game:	TABOU
Favorite singers:	Lyle Lovett, Marc Cohn, Sheryl Crow
Favorite hot drink:	Starbuck’s non-fat chai (I’m addicted!)
Favorite actors:	Matt Damon, Diane Lane, Johnny Depp (are just a few of them)
Favorite vacation spot:	Annecy, France and Bariloche Argentina are two of many favorites
Favorite colors:	Purple and Red
Favorite sport:	Biking
Favorite holiday:	Christmas
Favorite dessert:	Crème Brulee, Tiramisu, and almost anything chocolate
Favorite zoo animals:	Tigers