Elaine Barnum believes that life is a journey filled with learning all along the way.  This summer, she has embraced her learning curve with additional training in preparation for the courses she will be teaching during the 2007-2008 school year.

In the two previous years as the yearbook advisor and the newspaper advisor, Mrs. Barnum has led her students to state and national award winning recognition.  This year the she plans to build on these recognitions and explore new formatting and styles as they develop the Kindergarten -12th grade yearbook and High School newspaper.  In preparation for this, Mrs. Barnum has completed in-depth training in Adobe InDesign CS3, Adobe Photoshop CS3, and Taylor Publication’s Advanced Yearbook Advisor Training.  This training will be passed on to the yearbook and newspaper student staff members, as well as, the students in the new InDesign and Photoshop courses.

Having competed in debate and original oration as a high school student, Mrs. Barnum put her “public speaking role” on hold until this summer. In an effort to identify with her speech students, she has become a member of the Grace Toastmaster’s chapter of the International Toastmasters’ speaking organization.  Mrs. Barnum now competes within the chapter and hopes to be representing Grace Toastmaster’s at the fall area level competition.  Realizing that many people consider public speaking a fear greater than death itself, Mrs. Barnum hopes to ease this fear of her students and develop their competencies in this life long skill.

Mrs. Barnum continues to teach the junior level course Career and Consumer Education.  Building off of her years of experience working in a major university admissions/freshman orientation office, from owning her own business, and from being married to a professional human resource manager, Mrs. Barnum helps her students prepare for their future.  Her students explore career options, investigate their educational needs, research scholarship opportunities, and prepare to move out into the world of independent living after graduation.  The Career and Consumer class has direct application in each student’s journey into their future.

Always involved in the school she loves, Mrs. Barnum will also serve this year as the advisor for the National Honor Society, the Quill and Scroll International Journalism Society, and as the Class Advisor Coordinator.  When she is not involved in school activities, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Jim, and being involved in her church, First United Methodist of Carrollton.  Megan, her daughter, is a graduate of POPCS’ first graduating class and currently attends the Art Institute of Dallas.  Her son, Trevor, lives in Lubbock.

Mrs. Barnum’s educational journey began with a desire to teach kindergarten and then advanced through the grade levels as her own children grew.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics from Texas Tech University majoring in Homeand Family Life with an emphasis on Child Development. She also received her Texas Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education with a Kindergarten endorsement. Five years later, she completed her Master’s of Education from Texas Tech with a major in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Multicultural Education. Mrs. Barnum has also received her A.C.S.I. Professional Certification and has taken Biblical Studies courses from Dallas Christian College.  With over twenty-seven years of teaching experience, she hopes her own life will be an example to her students as they venture on in their own journeys of life long learning.

Contact Information
phone: 972-447-0532 ext. 367

e-mail: elaine.barnum@princeofpeace.org