My Story
My husband and I met at a 7-11 off Chelwood and Candelaria, because he took the job to “meet chicks.” I came in, we got married within a year then he quit that job. He had a bachelor’s in Economics and I was a teacher in 1996 for 2 years. He decided he liked my schedule, so he went and completed his license. As teachers, we have raised 2 boys in Rio Rancho. My oldest just graduated from UNM with a Digital Media Arts degree and my youngest just graduated Cleveland High School, heading to NM Tech in Socorro. Both boys are the light of my life.
We foster animals, with over 143 kittens coming through our home. We kept 4, which we call the “foster fails.” I have a little Russian greyhound I call “LilBit” but should rename him Velcro because the minute I’m around he’s stuck to my left leg.
My husband refurbishes cars and drives Uber, and we also do painting in the summer for extra money, as raising a family of four on teachers’ salaries isn’t possible. The extra money helps us to travel, which we all love, and to spend copious hours on the Central Oregon Coast, watching the waves and the fog.
Outside of School I…
I garden at home, and tend to pets. I also love to read. My favorite brainless show is MASH because the storylines are great, but I have them all memorized. Every time I can get to Oregon, I do. I love to sit and listen to the surf. I am not a fan of swimming in the ocean, just being near it.
What I Love About Menaul
This school is amazing! The grounds, the wall of windows in my room, the light, the staff, the facilities, the Canvas application, and the overall structure of the school, the cafeteria lunches, all of it… is one in which I thrive. I was hired during Covid, because I wasn’t going to sit out and let my skills go to waste when they were needed. Due to the dedication of the people I worked with, my goals of making certain students learn is highly respected. The dedication to student learning, in every meeting, in every encounter, continues to impress me.
I love to empower students to write. When a person writes, when they find their voice and share it, the world can better understand. Facilitating understanding in this world is my passion.
I strongly believe education is the backbone of society. My hero is Haim Ginott, who was VERY student-centered in his philosophy. I also know that students who read gain more empathy for others (which this world desperately needs) and they become stronger spellers and writers.
My students like to learn and they are funny! They love each other. The community in which they have formed, the bonds they have, and again… understanding they have of each other, brings me joy.
Susan Hillmeyer has an MA in Educational Administration and is a Certified in: 3A and 3B Social Studies/Language Arts and Humanities Departments.
For more stories, visit our Menaul School Stories page.