Northlake Elementary - Tooele, UT

03/12/2026

🌟Behind the Bell 🌟
Meet Ms. Thompson, one of our wonderful Special Education Paras here at Northlake! She has been part of our school community for 2 years and has been working in education for 2 years as well.

Ms. Thompson loves working with elementary students because she learns so much from them every day. Their curiosity, honesty, and creativity make each day unique and rewarding.

Outside of school, Ms. Thompson enjoys baking, and if she weren’t working in education, she says she would love to be an astronomer exploring the wonders of space.

Her inspiration to work in education came from her own preschool teacher, who left a lasting impact on her life. One of her favorite teachers growing up was Mrs. Lambert, who always made students feel welcomed and valued for who they were.

Math was Ms. Thompson's favorite subject in school, and her biggest inspiration today is her child, who motivates her to keep learning and growing.

Her advice for students is a meaningful reminder:
“The hard times are always worth it.”

We’re grateful to have Ms. Thompson's kindness, dedication, and heart here at Northlake!

03/12/2026

🎶 In the arms of an angel… 🎶

Lost & Found Adoption

Right now, in the lobby by the front office, three full tables of lonely jackets, water bottles, lunch boxes, and hoodies are waiting… hoping… dreaming… of being reunited with their families.

Some have been here for days.
Some… even weeks.
They just want to go home.

Please ask your students to stop by the Lost & Found and see if one of these sweet belongings might be theirs. A quick visit could mean everything to a forgotten hoodie or a very patient water bottle.

🗓 Items remaining after Wednesday, March 18 will be donated, so this is their last chance at a happy reunion.

Together, we can help these lost items find their way home. 💜 Just one glance a day could make a difference.

03/11/2026

🌟 Behind the Bell 🌟
Meet Mrs. Morton, our wonderful Art Aide here at Northlake! She joined our school in the spring of 2024 and has been sharing her love of creativity with students ever since.

Mrs. Morton loves working with elementary students because of their excitement and willingness to try new skills and learn new things. Seeing their curiosity and creativity come to life is one of the best parts of her day.

She has a very unique talent — Mrs. Morton can do family history research in Czech, German, Latin, and French, even though she doesn’t actually speak the first three languages!

Her love of learning started early. Growing up, she loved reading, writing, French, and art. Her favorite teachers included Miss Honey, who was just as sweet as her name, and a librarian who always helped her discover the best books.

Mrs. Morton says her grandmother has been her greatest inspiration, and if she weren’t working in education, she once dreamed of being an editor so she could get paid to read books all day.

Her advice for students is simple but meaningful: “Be kind and treat others with respect — and always keep learning.”

We are so grateful to have Mrs. Morton sharing her creativity and love of learning with students at Northlake!

03/10/2026

🌟 Behind the Bell 🌟
Meet Mrs. Bowler, one of our wonderful Literacy Aides here at Northlake! She sends home the baggie books. Mrs. Bowler has been part of our school family for a year and a half and brings 17 years of experience in education with her.

Mrs. Bowler loves working with elementary students because of their excitement and curiosity when learning something new. Helping students grow and build confidence in their learning is what she enjoys most about her role.

She also has a very unique hidden talent — she can write backwards with her left hand while writing forward with her right hand at the same time!

Mrs. Bowler’s passion for education comes from her compassion for children and her desire to help them succeed. If she weren’t working in education, she would love to advocate for special needs students and support them in reaching their full potential.

Her favorite teacher growing up was her 4th-grade teacher, Mr. Feldman, who made reading come alive by telling stories with different voices for each character. His storytelling sparked her lifelong love of reading.

Math was her favorite subject in school, and her biggest inspiration is her dad, who always believed she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. Mrs. Bowler’s advice for students is an important reminder: “It’s OK to ask questions. Sometimes our brains just have a hard time staying focused.”

We are so grateful to have Mrs. Bowler’s kindness, creativity, and dedication here at Northlake!

02/12/2026

🌟Behind the Bell 🌟
Meet Mrs. Schiffman, one of our wonderful 2nd-grade teachers! This year marks her 4th year at Northlake and her 6th year in education.
Mrs. Schiffman has always loved writing and storytelling. In fact, if she weren’t teaching, she might try her hand at becoming a published author someday! Writing has been her favorite subject since she was young (as long as it wasn’t research papers!), and music later became another passion because it gave her a way to express herself.
Her journey into teaching began with her grandma, who was a teacher for many years. As a little girl, Mrs. Schiffman would pretend to have her own classroom and give assignments, dreaming of being just like her.
One of her favorite teachers growing up was her middle school orchestra teacher, Mr. Staubauch. He made learning the cello fun and helped her understand that mistakes weren’t the end of the world — they were part of learning.
What she loves most about teaching elementary students are those magical moments when something finally clicks and a student understands something new. Those moments make it all worthwhile.
Mrs. Schiffman’s biggest inspiration is her mom, whose strength and perseverance have guided her through life’s challenges.
Her advice for students is encouraging and empowering:
“The only time you truly fail is when you stop trying. Every other time, it’s a chance to learn and grow.”

We are so lucky to have Mrs. Schiffman’s creativity, heart, and passion for learning here at Northlake!

02/06/2026

Please join us in the gymnasium (at Northlake) for our Cultural Night on Wednesday, February 25th, at 5:00 PM. This is a free event for our Northlake students and their families. Our DLI classes have been working hard on performances, and they can't wait to show off what they have learned. Come help us celebrate our cultures!

02/02/2026

We are excited to have the fire department visit our preschool classes today. Thank you to the Tooele Fire Department for your tireless service to our community. We appreciate all you do!

01/27/2026

Meet Mrs. Gonzalez, our new (this school year) 2nd-grade DLI Spanish teacher! While she’s only been at Northlake for this school year, she brings an incredible 23 years of experience in education with her.

Mrs. Gonzalez loves working with elementary students because learning should be fun — and because kids are just plain adorable! Her inspiration to become a teacher came from none other than Mary Poppins, whose magic, kindness, and joy for learning left a lasting impression.

Outside the classroom, Mrs. Gonzalez enjoys dancing bachata and flamenco, and if she weren’t teaching, she’d happily be a dancer. Her favorite subject in school was history, and her favorite teacher growing up was Mrs. Lucia, who she remembers as lovely and kind.

Mrs. Gonzalez draws her greatest inspiration from her parents, who have shaped who she is today. Her advice for students is both thoughtful and uplifting: “The most important thing is not to be the best, but to give your best every day and enjoy the moment with your classmates and teachers who care about you.”

We’re so excited to have Cristina as part of the Northlake family!

01/23/2026

01/13/2026

🌟 Behind the Bell 🌟

Meet Mrs. Yost, one of the friendly faces in our front office! She has been at Northlake for 8 years — two years as an aide, three years as the Art Teacher, and now in her third year as our secretary.

Before working in education, Mrs. Yost once recorded a demo CD to pursue a music career. She still loves to sing, craft, take photos, and do anything creative.

What she loves most about working with elementary students is being able to help in whatever way they need — whether it’s a Band-Aid, ice, a phone call home, or just a minute of comfort. She works hard to learn every student’s name and to know something about them so they always feel seen, safe, and welcome in the front office.

She first started working at Northlake when her own kids attended the school, but she quickly realized that working with children was exactly where she was meant to be. If she weren’t in education, she’d love to be a singer or even own a bakery one day.

Her favorite teacher growing up was her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Lamb (whom she adorably mixed up as “Miss Sheep” at the time). Mrs. Lamb’s kindness and attention made a lasting impression. In school, choir was Mrs. Yost’s favorite subject— she participated in Girls Choir and Concert Choir and loved both.

Mrs. Yost draws her greatest inspiration from her own kids. She says they have taught her far more than she’ll ever teach them. Watching them push through challenges and come out stronger has been one of her greatest joys.

Her advice for students is both encouraging and important:
“Be kind. Words matter. Don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t good enough — you are perfect just the way you are. Go out and show the world what you’re made of.”

01/12/2026

🌟 Behind the Bell 🌟
Meet Mrs. Harmon, one of our wonderful 4th-grade teachers here at Northlake! She is currently working in her 7th year in our school community. She began her teaching career in 1996 and has been inspiring students ever since.
Mrs. Harmon enjoys crocheting and loves seeing the “light of understanding” shine in her students’ eyes as they learn something new. Teaching wasn’t just a career choice for her — it was a calling. After originally majoring in accounting, she switched to education and instantly knew she had found what she was meant to do.
She credits many wonderful teachers from her own childhood for that inspiration. From the teacher who taught her to crochet like her grandmother, to the teacher who played guitar and sang with the class, to the teacher who greeted students with hugs or handshakes, she was surrounded by educators who made learning joyful and personal.
Her favorite subject growing up was math, and she laughs remembering how competitively she raced the boys in class on math facts.
If she weren’t in education, Mrs. Harmon says she always wanted to be a mother. She strives to always have time for her students and wants each of them to know they are loved and important.
Mrs. Harmon’s message for students is uplifting and empowering:
“Ask for help. Be yourself. Know your strengths and weaknesses and work to grow both. Don’t let anyone tell you who you should be. You are loved.”
We are so grateful for Mrs. Harmon’s compassion, devotion, and 29 years of teaching experience that enrich our Northlake community!