ALYSSA MACKIE
Mrs. Mackie is a Kindergarten teacher at Jefferson and this is her first year at our school.
She was born and raised in the South Bay, having lived in Redondo Beach and Torrance for many years. Mrs. Mackie attended UC Santa Cruz for two years before transferring to Cal State Dominguez Hills.
She got her first job when she was only 15, working as a clerk at Smart and Final. After working there for 8 years, Mrs. Mackie moved up to management and began running one department.
Mrs. Mackie's favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin and her preferred movie is Marvel’s End Game. Both she and her husband are huge fans of Marvel movies. Her favorite band is a Christian Band called Mercy Me. Mrs. Mackie prefers the winter season because she loves the snow.
When asked about her favorite travel destination, Mrs. Mackie mentioned the East Coast where her family lives.
If she were to win the lottery, Mrs. Mackie would buy a dream home and also help her family pay off their loans.
Her biggest pet peeve is dirty dishes. Mrs. Mackie takes pride in keeping a clean kitchen. A chore that she does not particularly enjoy doing is vacuuming, especially since her dog always sheds.
One item from her bucket list that she had not yet had a chance to complete is skydiving.
Many people may not know that Mrs. Mackie used to run marathons with her mom. They ran the LA marathon together twice and the Long Beach marathon. While her mom still enjoys running, Mrs. Mackie has taken a break from this activity.
If she could choose her age forever, Mrs. Mackie mentioned she would prefer to be in her early 20s, the age when she had just started her career as a teacher and was about to get married.
Mrs. Mackie told us that if she had to choose one superpower, she would love the ability to time travel. This would allow her to explore events in the past.
If she could meet anyone, living or dead, Mrs. Mackie would love to meet Jesus.
One thing that Mrs. Mackie would love to learn instantly is playing the piano.
Asked about one specific experience which made her a stronger person, Mrs. Mackie mentioned that it was her mom’s battle with cancer.
When Mrs. Mackie lost her teaching position, she felt that while this moment was difficult, the experience eventually turned out for the best as it opened so many other doors and opportunities for her.
We asked Mrs. Mackie what her advice would be for kids who are struggling in school. She told us that one of her favorite things to do with her students is the “I’ve Got Grit, I Don’t Quit” exercise.
"We all have this “invisible” grit that is tested each day. Never give up on your dreams and pursue something you are passionate about. "
For Mrs. Mackie, success is defined by feeling proud of yourself in everything that you do, but also finding ways to improve and push yourself.
