First Grade Teacher

Mrs. Jardine has been teaching at Powell Elementary since 2015. Before making the great journey to sunny and bustling Raleigh, N.C., Mrs. Jardine and her husband lived in Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia. She taught in Pennsylvania for five years and decided that she wanted a new adventure and knew that North Carolina was the place for that! They packed up their lives and their English bulldog boxer mix Ruby and settled here in Raleigh. Some of the things that they love to do in Raleigh are hiking with Ruby, dining out, and exploring the area! Mrs. Jardine loves to experiment with different crafts, read new and exciting books, and to bake delicious goodies in her 'free' time!

My Play-losophy:

Students are engaged and excited when given the chance to learn or practice their learning through play. Play can look like many different things; diverse conversations, games and/or design. Students thrive in an environment that allows them to create and inspire others with the content they are learning.

First Grade Teacher

Ms. Daniels grew up in Raleigh and attended college in Greensboro, before moving to Atlanta, New York, and then London, England. After many years of living away, she decided to return to her roots and now calls Raleigh home once again. She joined the Powell family in the 2021-2022 school year as a North Carolina Education Corps literacy tutor, where she provided individual and small group instruction in phonics and reading skills to students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. She also supported classroom teachers and their students during their daily ELA, reading, and Letterland blocks, with the goal of inspiring a love of reading in every child and helping each student become a successful reader. Ms. Daniels is excited to be returning to Powell this school year as a 1st grade teacher and is looking forward to having a year full of learning and laughter.

In her free time, Ms. Daniels enjoys reading picture books with her young son, escaping to the beaches of N.C., and visiting N.C.’s wonderful museums and historic sites.

My Play-losophy:

Learning has the most impact when it's relatable, interesting, and fun for both teacher and student!

First Grade Teacher

Mrs. Dragen has been part of our Powell family since 2022! She comes to us from Rolesville Elementary School where she was an IA in Kindergarten for 5 years. Mrs. Dragen is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. She is married and has two sons; one is at UNC Chapel Hill and the other is at Knightdale High School. 

Mrs. Dragen has worked with young kids for a good part of her adult life and is super excited to see where this year takes her at Powell Center for Play & Ingenuity. She believes play is a valuable classroom activity that enables children to develop a wide variety of social and academic skills. Through play, children learn how to get along with others, solve problems, inhibit their impulses, and regulate their emotions.

My Play-losophy:

"Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning." Mr. Rogers

I know that I learn better when I am doing rather than being told how to do something. Many kindergartners are experiencing a classroom setting for the first time. I want that experience to be fun and play is fun. Hands on learning is fun. I have seen first hand that an addition or subtraction lesson sticks better when the kids are pretending to jump in or out of a boat. 

Instructional

Ms. Orcine (last name pronounced Or-See-Knee), is a Filipino by nationality with a little Italian mixed in. She was born and raised in American Samoa. Ms. Orcine majored in Behavioral Sciences at Assumption College San Lorenzo in Makati, Philippines, followed by Jessup University after moving to San Jose, California. Later she met and married her husband, and together they have raised four sons. In 2021, Ms. Orcine relocated to North Carolina with her husband and two youngest sons, eventually settling in Holly Springs. 

Since 2009, she has been working in education, where she has developed a deep passion for helping children grow and succeed. Ms. Orcine is dedicated to building meaningful connections with children, rooted in mutual trust and respect.

My Play-losophy:

"Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning." - Diane Ackerman