I consider teaching a calling. Two of my grandparents were teachers, my father was a teacher, and my sister is a teacher. I began my teaching career in 1994 after earning my Masters in Teaching at Emory University. My first job was in Gwinnett County at Norton Elementary, where I taught 4th and 5th grade for eleven years. After my daughter reached school age, I wanted to work closer to where we live in Decatur, so I moved to Atlanta Public Schools. I taught 5th grade at Morningside Elementary for five years in a departmentalized model. I then went to Sarah Smith Elementary and taught three more years in 5th grade, this time in a self-contained IB classroom. After spending 19 years in the classroom, I was ready to try something different. I've always loved to read and teach reading. My classroom library was always overflowing, and I was the teacher who always had the book you needed, so becoming a media specialist seemed like the next natural step. After completing an instructional technology/media specialist certification program at Georgia Southern University, I began my career as a media specialist at Coan Middle School in Atlanta. When Coan closed due to low enrollment, I was fortunate enough to get this job as the media specialist at F.AVE. And here I am, loving my job, loving my Decatur kids, loving my school.

On a personal note, I live in North Decatur with my husband and two cats, Weasley and Josefina Martinez. I have two children. My son Ethan is beginning his masters at UNC this year in library sciences, and my daughter Maddy is a grown-up, living in Raleigh, NC. I am the steward of two little free libraries, one at F.AVE and one at my house. My blood runs Carolina blue, ask any of my students. Growing up in Chapel Hill during the Michael Jordan & Dean Smith years, how can you blame me? I love the beach and the mountains equally, and, SURPRISE...reading is my favorite pastime. I also love watching baking shows and occasionally even baking myself.

My name is Vivian Dawson and I am your Media Clerk at F.AVE. I have always loved being around books and libraries. In seventh grade I helped the school librarian process new books, and file the information in the card catalog (an old time Destiny Discover). For my reward, I was the first person to check out any new book that I processed. In addition, I could spend my study period in the library instead of the classroom. Libraries and Media Centers are wonderful places to work.