By Shawn Hogendorf, Staff Writer 

Cindy Roe of New Prague enjoys working with children, and teaching simple science, so her current job as the lead teacher in the school-aged room at Kids Count Day Care and Learning Center is a great match.

Roe starts her days during the school year by putting kindergartners through fifth-graders on the bus to school. At noon, when the six kindergarten children come back to Kids Count, Roe has lunch with them, leads art projects, infuses science where she can and spends the rest of the afternoon playing outside.Cindy Roe of New Prague has been a
teacher at Kids Count Day Care and
Learning Center for the past three
years. When the right opportunity
comes along, she hopes to teach
high school students about biology,
botany and anatomy. (Photo by
Shawn Hogendorf)

In working with kindergartners, Roe said she doesn’t see much difference in the energy level from the morning when they get on the bus to the afternoon when they return.

“Their energy level stays the same,” she said. “It’s pretty high energy all day long.”

Roe attended Winona State University, where she became certified to teach science to secondary students. She was always interested in science – and did well in it in high school – so studying it in college was a natural fit.

While she waits for a science teaching opportunity, Roe said it is a lot of fun to teach simple science lessons to younger children, just as she has for the past three years.

“I love that the children I teach here are excited about everything,” she said. “I can teach them the most simple science project – like combining baking soda and vinegar – and they love it; and when I see them as they get older, they still have that excitement.”

A lot of people still think science is a male-dominated subject, Roe said. But breaking that stereotype is exactly why she enjoys getting both boys and girls involved in simple science at an early age.

“Science is something both boys and girls are interested in,” she said. “I think more girls are interested in science now, because more women are teaching it.”

Although Roe enjoys teaching young children, her true passion is teaching secondary students biology, botany and anatomy.

“You can’t teach that to primary kids, because when you get too detailed it becomes boring for them,” Roe said. “I infuse science where I can minus the details. I can teach them biology by talking about how germs spread and why it is important to wash their hands.”

When Roe isn’t working, she enjoys painting, reading, gardening, swimming and doing just about anything outdoors.

Q and A with

Cindy Roe

What is your favorite radio station?

I like to listen to KS95.

What is the last good book you read?

“Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt.

What were you for Halloween?

A witch.

What is your favorite meal to cook?

Lasagna.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would like to go anywhere in Europe.

What do you like to paint?

I like to paint landscapes and outdoor scenes from photos I find online or that I have taken.

 Shawn Hogendorf can be reached at (952) 345-6374 or shogendorf@swpub.com.