Mrs. Hurst has lived in the Encinitas area for the last 20 years, where she and her husband raised their five children. Her first and most rewarding career was being a stay-at-home mom. Today, she is grateful to be living out her second passion as a fifth grade school teacher.

This is Mrs. Hurst’s fifth year teaching fifth grade at Mountain Oaks. Before joining Mountain Oaks, she taught first grade at JCS Cedar Cove and worked as a long-term substitute teacher while earning both her teaching credential and master’s degree.

Mrs. Hurst believes that learning should be engaging, meaningful, and fun. Her goal is to create a classroom where students feel inspired to ask questions, think creatively, and develop a lifelong love of learning. She enjoys incorporating project-based learning, student leadership opportunities, and her students’ interests into daily lessons to help every child reach their full potential.

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Hurst enjoys soaking up the sunshine at the beach, staying active through exercise, playing games, and creating lasting memories with her family. One of her greatest joys is being “Gigi” to her three favorite people, ages 5, 2, and grand baby #3 (late September).