A Ms. Slavens was born in San Raphael, California and raised in Wilmette, Illinois where she attended all public schools. Northern Illinois University was where Ms. Slavens obtained her degree. She has her B.S. in Elementary Education K-9: Type 03 certification in the state of Illinois. She is endorsed to teach Science, Reading and Writing. She holds certificates in Family Life Education and Outdoor Education. Some, past and basic, vocal training and choral group memberships transfers a sense of music and rhythm into her classrooms. According to the No Child Left Behind Act, Ms. Slavens is considered Highly Qualified.

Ms. Slavens began her career in education in 1990 at Wilmette Jr. High School and Mckenzie Elementary School where she acted as a paraprofessional in a self contained special needs classroom and a classroom for learning disabled. She received extensive training on augmentative devices as a tool for communication. Two years later, she began teaching at St.Gertrude Elementary School in Chicago. Her responsibilities included teaching eighth grade Social Studies, Language Arts, Religion and Art. Summer employment included private tutoring, working for Habitat for Humanity and for the Mayor Daley Green and Clean Program.

Ms. Slavens accepted the offer to teach upper grades Science at William B. Ogden Elementary School in 1993 and has remained loyal to this wonderful school ever since. She considers the student diversity and enthusiastic learning community to be very rewarding. Over the years, Ms. Slavens has taken advantage of numerous professional development opportunities which have assisted her in keeping up with the ever changing world of Science, technology and teaching methodologies. Partnerships over the years have included the Terra Museum, the Chicago Academy of Sciences, the Anti Cruelty Society, Northlight Theater, the Chicago Moving Company and the Shedd Aquarium.

She looks forward to embarking on a Masters Program in Speech Therapy at Depaul University this fall.