Karen Lewis began her career in education in 1981 with a BS in mathematics and a 5-12 teaching certificate from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota.
She started out teaching math, English, religion, and social studies to middle school students at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in NE Minneapolis. After a wonderful ten-year experience there, she spent ten fulfilling years teaching math in the Anoka Hennepin School District to students in grades six to nine at both Coon Rapids and Oak View Middle Schools. During this time, she furthered her own education, receiving a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the College of St. Thomas.
In 2000, Karen took a hiatus from teaching to become a stay-at-home mom to her four boys, and soon started the fabulous adventure of homeschooling. Ten-years later when looking for a school for her daughter, Ellie, Karen and her husband, Dan, found the perfect fit in The Way of the Shepherd Catholic Montessori School (WOS). Karen began volunteering in the environments and assisting in the Atrium at WOS. She was hired in 2012 and, from that point on, has worked for several years each in Children’s House, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and in the Adolescent Program, assisting and teaching math. During this time, Karen was trained in Levels I and II of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and completed the Catechetical Institute.
In addition to enjoying her work at The Way of the Shepherd, Karen spends time participating in various volunteer activities at Epiphany Catholic Church, The Way of the Shepherd, and Coon Rapids High School. She also loves reading, hiking, biking, and especially having adventures year-round with her kids and grandkids in the woods up north.