• Joan Fournier

    I began teaching at Indian Valley in 1996. Prior to coming to Walnut Creek School District I had teaching positions in the San Francisco Unified School District. In addition, I taught for one year in Mantyharu, Finland in a unique home school program. I received my bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts and teaching credential from San Francisco State University.

    Before becoming a teacher, I worked as a research assistant at the University of California at San Francisco in the Department of Psychiatry. I was privileged to work on a research project being conducted at the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute. From this experience I became interested in teaching as the children housed on the unit received instruction from a dynamic special education teacher.

    I have also spent a great deal of time traveling the world, including a half year leave during which time I studied Spanish and climbed mountains in South America.  I spent six wonderful weeks traveling with my sister exploring our heritage in France.