My name is Kim Heist and this is my fifth year at Bridgeton Elementary and my fourth year in First Grade! I love teaching first grade- it is such a great year of discovery and learning. I have been married to my husband, Filip, for almost 15 years. He was a jet pilot in the United States Marine Corps for 16 years and has recently transitioned to a commercial pilot with Delta Airlines, so we have lived in a lot of different places during those 15 years. We have lived in Florida, Texas, Washington state, and here in North Carolina (twice!) We have been here for a total of 9 years, so this is home for us. I am originally from Norfolk, Virginia and spent half of my childhood there and the other half in Virginia Beach. I graduated from Radford University in Radford, Virginia with a business degree. I have three wonderful children- my sons, Colby and Connor, are now both in middle school (7th and 8th grade) and my daughter, Aspen will be a fourth grader this year at BES. After becoming a mother and staying at home with them during their younger years, I became interested in teaching. In 2010, I graduated with my Master's degree in Elementary Education from Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi. I started my career teaching fifth grade, but followed my heart to first! In my spare time, I love to read, make crafts, and spend time with my family. I am looking forward to another great school year!