Each month we feature staff members dedicated to being Solution Seekers in their schools.   

Linda Pyle, music teacher at Chambers Prairie Elementary, dreamed of supporting her students through an afterschool program in their own neighborhood. With the help of her school teammates, she turned that dream into a reality!   

Tell us about yourself.  

I teach orchestra and general music at Chambers Prairie Elementary, and have worked in NTPS for eight years. I also play violin in the Olympia Symphony. My husband, Dave Pyle, has joined our Chambers staff this fall and teaches right across the hall from me! 

What do you like best about your job?   

The kids! I get to sing and dance with kids all day long. Who wouldn’t love that!? 

Why is being a Solution Seeker important to you?   

School staff are all solution seekers. I see my colleagues going above and beyond every day to make a difference in the lives of children. 

Can you share a story where you experienced problem-solving in action?   

I have dreamed for years about a program that would serve our students experiencing poverty, an afterschool program that could offer homework help, snacks, and a safe place to be after school, right in their own housing community. When my husband, Dave Pyle, joined the staff at Chambers Prairie as a student teacher, we knew we couldn’t pass up this opportunity to team together to impact the lives of some of our students with the greatest physical needs. Coyote Den at College Glen was born!  

Every Tuesday afternoon, Dave and I meet the kids as they get off the bus and gather with community partners (including the Timberland Library) to give kids a healthy and safe afterschool activity. Teachers from our school volunteer to help with homework, and our admins bring popsicles, play board games, and even shoot hoops! We are also hiring another teacher (using POWER-UP! program funds) to provide reading fluency classes during Coyote Den, as increased fluency is one of our school SIP plan goals this year.