Aloha!
My name is Ms. Jackie Ellis and I teach Biology and Marine Science at Lahainaluna HS. This is my 3rd year teaching and my 2nd year at LHS! This year I am also taking on a role as the Senior Class Advisor.
Before teaching, I got my bachelors degree in Biology at Columbus State University in Georgia where I also played soccer.
After college, I dabbled in marine biology research with sharks in South Africa and cetaceans here in Maui. Doing research on Maui lead to me becoming a naturalist on the whale watching and snorkel boats here in Lahaina. This made me then follow the humpback whales to Alaska where I worked a summer season on the water.
Once I realized I loved the education aspect of being a naturalist, I went back to school to get my graduate degree in education...and there happened to be a great program in Australia for that! The University of the Sunshine Coast is where I received my education degree. Getting a chance to see the education system in another country was super interesting and I think was a great way for me to see new ideas and bring them to my teaching here.
I try to bring my experiences into the classroom and make extra effort to make topics relatable to students. I think the best part about science is being able to see it in the world around you! Living here in Maui, we have such a unique environment to connect to and learn about. Using NGSS standards along with my National Geographic Education Certification, I hope to really connect the students to the world around them. I am a firm believer you protect what you love, and what better way to learn to love the world than by understanding it!
This page is a home base for links to Google Classroom and other resources.
Please reach out if you have any questions!