Meet the Teacher: Gretchen McQuillan

Gretchen McQuillan is a native of Gibbon, Minnesota. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education, with a concentration in mathematics, from the College of St. Benedict in 2003. She received a Presidential Scholarship for four years.

While at St. Benedict, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Greece and Rome.

“We were supposed to fly home on September 11, 2001,” McQuillan said. “Clearly, we didn’t get off the ground that day.”

McQuillan received a Master of Arts in Leadership in Teaching degree, and a reading license, from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. While completing her Master's, McQuillan worked in a volunteer teaching program in Maryland for two years.

McQuillan is teaching third grade at Orono Intermediate School this year. Her most recent teaching experience was teaching third grade at Beacon Academy in Maple Grove. She said that Beacon Academy is a charter school, which focuses on character education, daily Spanish instruction and a core knowledge curriculum.

She also taught math to 7th and 8th graders at Hope Community Academy and Catholic Community School in Baltimore.

“I love the scope and sequence that I got from teaching middle schoolers,” McQuillan said.

McQuillan considers herself a quiet leader who leads by example. She uses the Responsive Classroom approach where students feel part of the classroom community and can help create their own classroom guidelines.

The mother of two young children, McQuillan enjoys spending time with her family and friends, as well as sports. She said there are several other third grade teachers with children the same ages as hers.

“I love our team,” McQuillan said. “I feel so blessed.”