Denise Ruiz

Welcome to First Grade!!! Meadow Park School is a truly wonderful place to teach and I have the privilege of beginning my ninth year as a first grade teacher at our incredible school.  I am also excited to be teaching with Mrs. Kennedy who is such a terrific teacher, partner and friend. We are both looking forward to getting to know you and your child this year.

After receiving my Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and my teaching credential from UC Irvine, I began my teaching career with the Irvine Unified School District.  For the past seventeen years, I have taught first, second and third grade and truly love being an educator. (Of course, first grade is the best.)  

I now live in San Diego with my husband, Ray, and our four sons, Raymond, Joshua, Jacob and Jared. Our oldest son, Raymond, is attending UC Santa Barbara and our second son, Josh, is working on a degree in political science at UC Irvine.  Both boys attended Irvine schools starting in kindergarten and finishing at Woodbridge High School. (Go Warriors!) Our two younger sons, Jacob and Jared are in 9^th and 5^th grade, respectively, in the Poway Unified School District.  We also have a dog named “Lucky”  who earned her name the hard way.  (Please feel free to ask me about this.) Lucky is also the only other female in our family.

In my “spare” time I love to read, travel, shop, play bunco, solve challenging sudoku puzzles and occasionally take dance classes.  As far as newer adventures go, I have most humbly taken up golf. Of course, my most important hobby is spending time with my children and being involved in their numerous school, music and sporting activities. (Think of everything times four children.)

I cannot emphasize enough how much I love teaching your children and also how much I love learning from them.  I am looking forward to a wonderful year with your child.