I am an Oregon native who moved to Seattle to attend college and ultimately raised my
family here. Over the years, I worked my way into the field of education and feel
fortunate to have landed a position at this school. The diversity of the students and staff
enriches this community and fosters a dynamic learning environment. It is rewarding to
contribute to and be part of this school family. In my spare time, I enjoy being with
family, spending time at our beach place, and exploring the beauty of this area.

I started my teaching career in 2014 at James Baldwin Elementary (previously Northgate Elementary). I have taught 3rd through 5th grades, but this year, I will be supporting students and teachers in math.

Outside of school, I like to read, travel, and spend time with my family. I have 3 kids named Luca, Audrey, and Leo and 3 dogs named Cooper, Lani, and Roo!

I have been teaching since 2012, and joined the James Baldwin team in the Fall of 2017. James Baldwin is a wonderful school! We are small but mighty, with a highly skilled, dedicated staff of educators, curious and creative students, and supportive, courageous families. Together, we strive to live this idea:

"You have to love people for who they are . . . then they will be all they can be."
Julia Alvarez, How Tia Lola Came to Visit (Stay).

I love connecting students with books and supporting them as they learn to read. If you want to know more about how we teach literacy at James Baldwin, you have questions about your child's reading, you need help getting more books and literacy resources at home, or you just want to talk about books, please contact me - I'd love to talk with you.

Amica is a bi-racial educator from Honolulu, HI who's been a certificated teacher since
2020 and was in the classroom as a tutor from 2016-2019. She received both her
undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Washington--Seattle campus.
Ms. Dillon is passionate about student growth and lives for the laughs her students bring
to her every day. During the summers, she often goes back to Japan to visit family.

2026 is my  22 nd year of teaching and my 11 th year at  Northgate/James Baldwin. I have
enjoyed several different teaching roles- subbing, kindergarten teacher, k-2 newcomer
teacher and currently 1 st grade teacher. I love teaching at James Baldwin! In fact, this is
my favorite school of the three that I have taught at. From the wonderful staff to the
diverse students to the caring community, this is where I love to be! When I am not at
JB, I enjoy reading, gardening, nature and spending time with family and friends.

Hi! I currently teach the 4th and 5th grades at James Baldwin Elementary. I started teaching 4th grade at Northgate Elementary (now James Baldwin Elementary) in 2013. Each year since then, I have either taught the 4th grade or a 4th/5th-grade split. Before moving to Seattle in 2013, I was a special-education teacher in Broward County, Florida at the middle school level. There, I taught the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Even before that, I was an attorney practicing, among other things, employment and discrimination law for nine years.

I believe that all students bring valuable experiences, insights, and talents to our classroom and school communities!

There are so many things I love about James Baldwin that I cannot possibly write them all here. Here are some of them: We have an amazingly diverse group of students, families, and staff. I also love being part of a classroom and school community which focuses on inclusivity to make sure everyone is learning and is being respected.

When I am not teaching (or preparing to teach), I love spending time at home with my husband and our two dogs. My husband and I are both very adventurous with seeking out and trying new cuisines. We also both enjoy exercising at the gym, paddle boarding, camping, and traveling.