denise Denise Strecker joined the Sierra Expeditionary Learning School crew as a part-time Reading Specialist. Her background is in education and counseling and has been teaching children and families since 2000. Over the years, she has worked in numerous schools and homes, at a variety of grade levels and age ranges, while serving diverse populations in San Diego and Marin Counties.

At the start of her career, Ms. Strecker provided in-home parent education to low-income, at-risk families on early childhood development and behavior modification. She served as intermediary between clients and community resource providers while facilitating behavioral intervention plans, role modeling, and counseling. In 2005, Denise obtained her Master’s Degree in School Counseling fromthe University of San Diego.

During her Master’s study, she worked with a team to conduct action research on improving peer counseling programs in San Diego County. Ms. Strecker presented their findings, with her team, at the 2004 Annual Symposium on Action Research in School Counseling in San Diego. Ms. Strecker holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with a CLAD emphasis and designs and implements powerful, standards-based instruction. She is skilled in differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all students. Denise is adept at working with English language learners and incorporating research-based English language development strategies.
As a 21st Century educator, Denise infuses technology into her daily practices. While teaching third grade, she created her classroom website and assisted students in producing weekly podcasts. As a proponent of hands-on, exploratory lessons, Ms. Strecker has co-facilitated a Kid Serve Sister Mural Project, bringing two distinctly different communities together through science lessons in the creek bed and art. During the past four years, Denise has put her teaching and early childhood development experience to great use in the adventure of raising her young daughters, Sierra and Nevina.

When not at SELS, Denise and her husband continue to raise Sierra and Nevina utilizing expeditionary philosophies. In their free time, the Streckers can be seen hiking on local trails, camping, backpacking, skiing, or snowshoeing.