Evergreen Staff Spotlight

🌟 Celebrating the People Who Make Our Schools Work 🌟

Meet Michelle Poloski – Grade 2 Teacher, Sigurbjorg Stefansson Early School

With over 25 years of teaching experience, Michelle Poloski has dedicated her career to nurturing Evergreen’s youngest learners. From Kindergarten to Grade 4, she has taken on a variety of roles — including Physical Education teacher, Student Services teacher, and cooperating teacher for eight student teachers — but today she is proud to call herself a Grade 2 teacher at SSES.

Michelle’s passion for education was sparked early. In Grade 2, she had a teacher who was kind, gentle, and made every child feel safe and valued. “My love of school was shaped by her influence, and my passion for learning continued to grow stronger,” Michelle recalls. Even as a child, she often played “school,” with her stuffed animals and cousins as students. Those early experiences planted the seed for a lifelong calling to teach.

She knows better than anyone that teaching goes far beyond the classroom. “Many people don’t realize how much mental and emotional energy teachers invest outside of school hours,” Michelle explains. “Evenings and weekends are spent planning, reflecting, communicating with parents, and thinking about ways to support students. Teaching is not just a job; it’s a calling that stays on your mind and heart long after the day ends.”

What keeps her motivated are the moments that matter most: “The spark of understanding when a child finally ‘gets it,’ the pride in their eyes after working through a challenge, or the heartfelt cards and drawings left on my desk,” she says. “Those moments remind me daily why my work matters.”

Michelle loves the small-division, small-community feel of Evergreen, which has given her the chance to form close friendships with colleagues across schools. “It feels like a second family,” she says. “We inspire one another, support one another, and celebrate each other’s growth and successes.”

For Michelle, public education is the foundation of strong communities. “It’s about more than academics — it’s about building confident, compassionate, and capable citizens,” she explains. “Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed, and I’m proud to be part of a system that makes that possible.”

Thank you, Michelle, for your passion, dedication, and the lasting impact you’ve made on Evergreen students and families.

Interviewed by trustee Gladys Kohler