Phone: @MKPrestonPES02

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

Meredith College - B.S. Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Psychology East Carolina University - Elementary K-6 Licensure

Ms. Mary Katherine Preston

Second Grade Teacher

Mrs. Preston is originally from Eastern NC and has lived in Raleigh since she graduated from college. She graduated from Meredith College in Raleigh, NC. Mrs. Preston and her husband live in Raleigh with their two children. Her son is a 6th grader, and her daughter is a 5th grader here in Raleigh. She has been teaching for numerous years and has taught Pre-K through 3rd grade.

In her spare time, Mrs. Preston can be found chauffeuring her kids to their extracurricular activities with a coffee in hand. She enjoys the beach, travel, N.C. State football (GO PACK!!), volunteering, golf, tennis, reading, painting, music, and spending lots of time with her family and friends. 

My Play-losophy:

I encourage cooperative play in my classrooms so that my students can learn with and from one another. By playing together, young children develop important communication and group work skills. Furthermore, they can pick up new information and ways of playing from friends which can enhance their cognitive development.

Phone: @traciveen

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology Meredith College - MAT in Elementary Education

Mrs. Traci Veenstra

Second Grade Teacher

Mrs. Veenstra joined Powell Elementary in Fall 2019 as a Kindergarten Instructional Assistant. She has taught fifth grade and is excited to join the second grade team this year. Before Powell, she worked in the Elementary Education and Outreach Departments at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for over ten years. She has a strong interest in outdoor and hands-on learning, child-led explorations and prioritizing social emotional learning with Conscious Discipline. In her free time, Traci enjoys taking care of her family's animals, especially her chickens, and planning adventures with her husband and two children, one Powell alumni and one of whom is still at Powell!

My Play-losophy:

Play is incredibly powerful in helping children learn. Play makes learning so much deeper, they remember what they learn when it is immersed in play, and they are happy. I see this in my own classroom and when my own children come home from a day of learning at Powell. They make new iterations of projects that they made in their classrooms and domains, and take learning even further!

Phone:

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

East Carolina University

Ms. Michaela Benoit

Second Grade Teacher

Ms. Benoit is thrilled to join our 2nd-grade team this year. As a graduate of East Carolina University, she brings both experience and enthusiasm to the classroom. Before joining our vibrant community, she had the pleasure of teaching pre-kindergarten and working with academically and intellectually gifted (AIG) students. These experiences shaped her fun and engaging approach to learning. Ms. Benoit is excited about igniting a passion for learning in the young minds of her students. Her teaching philosophy centers on creating a positive, nurturing environment where curiosity is celebrated, and learning is an adventure.
 
Outside the classroom, Ms. Benoit enjoys dancing, working out, traveling, and spending time with her beloved dog, Storm. These passions infuse her teaching with energy and creativity, and she is excited to share that enthusiasm with her students. Ms. Benoit looks forward to working together to make this a fantastic year for your child.
 
My Play-losophy:
 
I believe that every child is unique, and my goal is to foster a love of learning through playful, interactive and dynamic activities that make each day fun and exciting.