Welcome to Mrs. Cruickshanks' Class
by Heidi Bell
January 25, 2009
Linda Cruickshanks
This is the third year at Pawnee for Mrs. Cruickshanks. She graduated from The University of Texas with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1975 where she received certification to teach secondary math and all levels of physical education. She continued at UT and in 1977 she received a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology. While there she taught tennis as a UT teaching assistant. She began her public school teaching career teaching Physical Science to the 9th graders and coaching in Deer Park, Texas. Mrs. Cruickshanks could see the need for computer skills when her school received its first computer, so she went back to college and graduated with another Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science in 1983. During and following this transition, she worked for the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in the Computer Systems Department and then later for IBM in Systems Tests. She then took some time to raise her family, being a stay-at-home mom, and then in 2001 went back to teaching math and science in Austin for five years. When she moved to Mineral, she taught Math at A.C. Jones in Beeville, Texas. This year she is teaching 6th through 8th grade Math and is again enjoying teaching technology. Her major reason for coming to Pawnee was Pawnee's reputation for having nice students and small classes. She has now taught for 15 ½ years and just wants to help the kids be the best that they can be.
