GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) – Few educators can say they teach in the same classrooms where they once learned — but for Krista VanderLugt, returning to Brookside Elementary School as a teacher has been a full-circle moment.
“I chose to work at GRPS because I am an alumna of GRPS,” VanderLugt said. “I am teaching at the elementary school I attended as a child.”
Returning to Brookside has given VanderLugt a deep sense of purpose and connection to her community. Each day, she focuses on helping her scholars discover the joy of reading.
“I enjoy teaching students’ phonics,” she said. “I love seeing students learn the patterns of decoding and begin putting them together to read words.”
Her impact extends beyond her own classroom, as she collaborates closely with colleagues to support growth across subjects.
“I work with my colleagues to advance student achievement in reading and math in our building,” she said.
From student to teacher, VanderLugt embodies the heart of GRPS as she inspires the next generation of scholars in the very hallways where her own love of learning began.
