This week's Staff Spotlight goes to Anna Ganster, kindergarten teacher!
1.What inspired you to pursue a career in education? I remember saying when I was in kindergarten that I wanted to grow up to be a teacher. I have always loved school! Sometimes I can’t believe that this is really my job… it’s the best ever! I love teaching!
2. What’s your favorite part of working with students? I enjoy sitting with my students during our circle time whole group lessons and watching them make real life connections to what we are learning. I love when they can take what we are learning and apply it in their daily lives. We learn so much in kindergarten and it is so rewarding watching them grow!
3. If you weren’t in education, what do you think you’d be doing? They're all so different from one another but I had thought about being either a teacher, a pediatric dentist, or a lawyer. After watching one of my students lose a tooth for the first time, I quickly realized it’s a good thing I chose the education field!
4. Do you have any professional goals you’re working on this year? I am starting the process of becoming a National Board Certified Teacher this year!
5. What’s one thing you love most about our school community? I love that everyone is so close to one another. I truly feel the sense of compassion and care here at MVES. I am so thankful to work with colleagues that uplift one another. You can’t pour from an empty cup!
I had actually began to question my career choice prior to coming to MVES. I prayed about it and put it in God’s hands. I instantly fell in love with the school and its environment. MVES helped me find my passion for teaching that I thought was gone. That passion pushed me to complete my master’s degree in May 2025, and now working towards NBCT!
I also love that I get to see my students grow over the years from kindergarteners to third graders while they are here at MVES. It makes me so happy to see students from previous years!
6. Is there a particular moment in the school year you look forward to each year? The beginning of kindergarten can be very difficult, but by the end of the year I am so blown away at how much progress each student makes. It makes those difficult moments worth it. There is something so rewarding about looking back at the beginning of kindergarten to the end. It is like you blink and all of a sudden they are ready for first grade!
7. Do you have any hobbies or hidden talents? I enjoy baking and crafting. Lately I’ve been baking new fall recipes. I like to make lanyards for my school badge for each season/holiday, which led to my new hobby of making necklaces. I’ve made so many statement necklaces lately! Oh and you can almost always catch me in Hobby Lobby shopping for these said hobbies!
8. What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you? I've had many students think my name is “Mrs. Hamster” or “Mrs. Gangster”!
9. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? I want to go back to Europe. My husband and I went to London in June 2025. There is so much history and natural beauty! I hope to go back one day and explore more of Europe.
Fall is my favorite season so I also hope to go on a New England roadtrip one day to see all the leaves changing colors!
10. What’s a food you can never say no to? Honestly, it’s a toss up between Mexican food & Italian. Give me cheese dip or pasta and I will be one happy camper!