Kindergarten
Welcome to Kindergarten at Fireside! Kindergarten days are filled with learning, community building, social skill development, exploration, discovery and fun!
Meet our Kindergarten Teachers
Diana Blau
I am very excited to join the Fireside community and to welcome kindergarteners into a supportive and inclusive classroom community. I love fostering curiosity and lifelong learning in my students and partnering with families to help children achieve their dreams.
I have been teaching in Colorado since 2008 in Kinder-3rd grade classrooms, as a reading interventionist, and as a Dean of Instruction in Denver Public Schools. I have a MA in Literacy Curriculum & Instruction from CU-Boulder and a BA in Psychology and Early Childhood Education from Yale. I speak Spanish and love traveling and learning about cultures.
In my free time, I enjoy all the outdoors in Colorado has to offer - especially hiking, camping, backpacking, running, biking, and swimming. I love spending time with my family and enjoy watching my own two children, age 3 and 6, as they learn and grow every day!
Sarah McGibbon
Welcome to Kindergarten! I was raised in Hawaii and have always felt lucky to work with children. They fill my bucket to the very top! My husband, two high school kids and I love to travel and have adventures both close to home and all over the world. My experiences interacting with different cultures has impacted my desire to reach all of my students and foster a strong community and love of learning. I am passionate about Early Childhood education. I obtained my BA in English from Seattle University. We moved to Colorado in 2003 so I could attend the University of Denver where I earned my teaching degree. I graduated in 2019 with my Masters in Early Childhood Education Special Education from the University of Colorado at Denver. Our Kindergarten team works closely together to ensure high quality instruction and that all students' needs are being met. I love the Fireside community and am excited to welcome all of our new Falcons!
Ryan Schafer
I am so so excited to be here at Fireside! This is my second year teaching Kindergarten but my 6th year teaching overall! I taught 2nd grade for three years and for one year lived in Israel teaching primarily English in 1st-6th grade. I taught at Heatherwood Elementary last year, and am so excited for this new adventure! I grew up in Colorado Springs but have been in Boulder now for 10 years.
In my free time, I love to hike, do yoga, bike, run, and enjoy other outdoor activities! I have two senior cats and one 6 month old puppy named Daisy. I love to do all kinds of arts and crafts, cook, travel, read, and try new things!
Kindergarteners are my absolute favorite, I love helping them become little learners and guiding them as they grow academically and social-emotionally. I can’t wait to embark on this new journey!