Mrs. Melissa Van Lenten

Welcome to 6th grade at Parkway School! 

I'm Melissa Van Lenten, and the 2022-2023 school year will be my 2nd year at Parkway School and my 23rd year as an educator!  I have teaching experience in 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades.  Before coming to Parkway School, I taught for 15 years in Wayne County in eastern NC, and before that, I taught for 6 years in northern NJ.  I grew up in Vernon, NJ and attended the University of Rhode Island, where I earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Psychology.  I also earned numerous graduate credits in the area of Educational Psychology at Montclair State University.  

My family moved to the High Country in 2021 after spending many of our summer weeks camping, exploring, and traveling around western NC for several years.  We knew we wanted to make a move to live in the mountains, and we absolutely love living in the High Country now! 

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family.  I have a daughter in 8th grade and a son in 5th grade at Parkway.  My husband works for the Boone Police Department.  I love being outdoors!  I love hiking and taking photos.  Viewing beautiful mountain scenery and exploring waterfalls are some of my favorite places to be.  I also love relaxing at the beach with a good book.  

I am so happy to have you / your child in my class!  I look forward to developing a partnership with you and your child throughout this year.  I completely believe that we need to be a TEAM – the parents, the teacher, and the student – working together to ensure positive growth and success.  I am excited about getting to know you / your child and being able to support him/her as an individual and as a learner.  I am looking forward to working with you / your child, and I am looking forward to a positive year and a great deal of learning and growth!