My name is Pat VanDerLinden. I graduated from Watertown High in Watertown, New York. I then went to SUNY College at Oswego, in upstate NY.  There I earned a BS in Elementary Education with concentrations in Art and Social Studies. I attended Silver Lake College to gain credentials and a license to teach Special Education from grade 6 through age 21. Employed with Valders Area School District as a Special Education teacher in the fall of 2013, I worked with students in grades 9-12 supporting them in all subject areas. In addition, I developed and taught English classes to accommodate my students' individual learning needs. Another part of my job was assisting students in transition beyond high school.  In the spring of 2019, I took early retirement and soon realized that I had given up something that I dearly love. In the classroom, I feel at home and thrive on the energy that comes from daily interactions with my students. Coming back to Valders was an easy decision for me to make. I will now be teaching 4th grade and I look forward to what lies ahead. What I enjoy about teaching are times when students gain empowerment through growth and self-confidence. When students learn new things, not only about the subject matter but also about themselves as individuals, it is a privilege to play a part.  Working with students at any age is a challenge that offers great rewards and in my view, one cannot be attained without the other.