Tracy Peterson

Tracy grew up in Santa Barbara, California, and went to college at Cal State Chico, University of New Hampshire, and University of the Pacific.  Upon completing a master’s degree in Special Education, she began her teaching career in Modesto, California at a school for children with significant disabilities.  She then taught in a similar classroom in Lodi, California.  As life would have it, Tracy met her husband in California and his career in athletics took them to Kansas, Nebraska and Arkansas.  During that time, Tracy raised three children and has taught all across the country. 

She has taught special education, regular education, college, and everything in between.  In 2005 she was named the Little Rock School District Teacher of the Year.  In September of 2021, she received the Jackson Stephens Excellence in Teaching Award at her school, Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock. 

She is an avid hot yogi and when not at a yoga class is walking the family’s greyhounds.  With her three children living in NW Arkansas, South Florida, and NYC, there is rarely a month when she doesn’t have a long weekend adventure planned.  She also loves to bake for friends, family, or any new neighbor who moves in down the street.  Although travel is a passion of Peterson’s she does not see herself retiring from the classroom anytime soon.  The energy and stories that kids have to tell is something that keeps her going into the next year of teaching.

Currently, Peterson is in her 37th year of teaching-and her 11the year in first grade. She says that in first grade she has found her niche. If you ask her what it is like to be a student in her classroom, she will say, “I run a tight ship and have a serious teacher look, but we learn a lot and there is lots of love, laughter, and dancing throughout each day.”