Welcome to my Teacher Biography page. I am Lynn Royer, your child's Special Education teacher for the Life Skills Support Program (grades K-3) at Red Lion. I will be spending a lot of time with your child this year! The purpose of this Bio Page is to share a little of my background and personal information so that you can get to know me better.

This school year will mark my 15^th year of teaching. Most people don't know that teaching is actually my second career! I have an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Gettysburg College (with a minor in Spanish) and worked for many years in Baltimore – first, for a mutual fund company and later, a large bank. I was very unhappy in both of those positions and always sensed a gnawing feeling of career dissatisfaction. Eventually I left corporate pursuits to be a stay-at-home mom when my first child was born. I went on to have two more children and enjoyed being home with them. 

My children were in 3^rd, 5^th, and 7^th grade when my husband was diagnosed with brain cancer. I was his primary caregiver during that chapter of our lives. The tragedy of my husband’s illness and death has a lot to do with my career in special education. I wasn’t aware at the time, but the two years I would spend caring for my husband in the aftermath of aggressive brain surgery and subsequent cancer treatment would prepare me in many ways for working with individuals with cognitive and physical challenges.

When my husband died, I returned to the workforce but knew that I didn’t want to pick up where I left off in the business world. I decided to look for a job that would fit my children’s school schedule and randomly ended up taking a position as a Personal Care Assistant for a student at the York Learning Center. YLC is a center-based facility for students with intensive learning, behavioral, and medical needs. I would be working with a 14-year old boy with Down Syndrome who was also significantly hearing impaired. I imagined this position to be a temporary solution while I got my head together and got back on my feet. Truthfully, I had no idea what I was walking into and the educational aspect of it was all new, but six months into that job I had an a-ha moment. I realized that I loved going to work and working with these special students. It was a demanding job but I found it fascinating and deeply fulfilling. Ultimately, this introductory experience changed the trajectory of my life and gave meaning and purpose to my personal loss. I immediately applied to graduate school and began working towards obtaining my teaching certifications taking classes in elementary and special education.

My first teaching position was with the LIU as a Life Skills Support teacher at Mazie Gable Elementary. The following year, my classroom was relocated to the newly built LJM Elementary where we are now. (LJM is a wonderful school campus. I love it here!) I formally joined the RLASD professional staff beginning in the 2016-17 school year. From the beginning, I have always taught in a self-contained special education classroom with the youngest elementary students. I like the little ones – they keep me moving! Although I am dual certified in Elementary and Special Education, I have only ever been interested in teaching students with special needs and learning challenges. I can’t imagine myself in any other teaching environment.

I have lived most of my adult life in York but currently live in Lancaster, a move made in 2013 after remarrying. My husband and I live in the city not far from F&M College in a house built in 1895. (I have always loved old houses!) We really enjoy city life, especially having a smaller property to mow in the summer and dig out in the winter! We love the walkability of Lancaster and the easy access to a variety of downtown activities. My children are now in their late twenties/early thirties and living on their own. My hobbies include running, reading (non-fiction), and other creative outlets such as outdoor gardening and design, growing indoor plants, art, and music. Ironically, I enjoy reading about business topics and listening to podcasts on business and leadership even though I left the business world long ago. (I find that leadership topics are very applicable to the school setting and particularly special education where you are typically overseeing a team of specialists and service providers.)

I think I love special education because of the creativity it requires and the compassion it allows. Without a doubt, I am right where I am supposed to be!