Today, we’re thrilled to highlight Mrs. Natalie Wise, a passionate and dedicated kindergarten teacher at Huachuca Mountain Elementary School. With six years of teaching experience, Mrs. Wise brings creativity, innovation, and a deep love for early childhood education to her classroom every day.
Married to a retired military veteran, Mrs. Wise first joined SVUSD as a kindergarten paraprofessional at PDS. Her military journey took her from Fort Huachuca to Texas and Alaska, where she earned her degree and spent three years teaching kindergarten. In Alaska, she learned to embrace place-based education, learning to incorporate the local environment into her lessons—a technique she now uses with SVUSD’s new science curriculum!
Mrs. Wise’s classroom is full of hands-on learning and joy! From fishing for letters and sight words to adding and subtracting with “Ten Pigs in a Tub,” her students learn through play, movement, and creativity. She even incorporates yoga for brain breaks and practices crossing the midline, a technique that enhances coordination and supports reading, writing, and math skills.
This year, Mrs. Wise introduced Huachuca Mountain’s Kindergarten Jumpstart Program, helping our youngest learners transition smoothly into school life before the academic year began. She also mentors new teachers, revitalized the school garden, and actively supports the Huachuca Mountain community by organizing engaging activities like this week’s Balloons Over Broadway Parade! Inspired by the book of the same name, which tells the story of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, students created and decorated their own balloons, bringing the magic of a Thanksgiving parade to Huachuca Mountain.
Outside the classroom, Mrs. Wise enjoys hiking, spending time with her husband and two daughters, gardening, and pursuing her yoga instructor certification. She played a key role in reviving the district-wide Kindergarten Professional Learning Community (PLC), where Kindergarten teachers collaborate, share expertise, enhance teaching strategies, and work together to improve student academic performance.
She is also pursuing her National Board Certification—a testament to her commitment to lifelong learning and excellence in education.
We are so grateful to have Mrs. Wise as part of our Huachuca Mountain family. Her passion for teaching and dedication to her students and families is truly inspiring.