My name is Jennifer Mann, and I am an English teacher at Deer Lakes High School. I have taught at Deer Lakes since 2003. Before coming to Deer Lakes, I worked as a nurse in a variety of health care settings and as a teacher at Saint Ursula, Vincentian Academy, and Community Day School, where I taught grades 4-12. I have had the opportunity to learn about standardized testing as a reader for the SAT and AP. In addition to primary and secondary school, I am an adjunct instructor at CCAC Boyce and the University of Pittsburgh Greensburg. I have also had the great fortune to work in the Financial Aid Office at CCAC Allegheny, where I learned priceless information about college funding and the endless paperwork that students and parents must complete to receive financial aid. I received my BA in English/Secondary Ed at the University of Pittsburgh then went on to Duquesne University, where I received my MS in Reading and Language Arts. A few years later received my EdD in Professional Leadership and Development with an emphasis on social justice. I am certified 7-12 for ELA, am a K-12 Reading Specialist, and a certified principal. I am the I co-direct the middle school musical, the high school play, and the high school musical with the fantastic and talented Matthew Derby.
Real education begins with a teacher who believes that you can achieve, who leads you to the next level even when you feel unsure that you are prepared, and encourages you to find your truth and your path. I do not feel as if I have all of the knowledge to give, but instead, I, along with the students, are learning and growing every day from our interactions, insights, and questions.
I have been married for 36 years and am the mother of three amazing children. We moved to Deer Lakes from Hampton in 1999. My children have all attended our district schools, and I am an active member of our school and community.