3rd Grade Team
Laura Gallagher
Hi Cubs! I’m Mrs. Gallagher and I’m thrilled to be a part of the Vassiliadis team! I was born and raised in Las Vegas and knew that I wanted to teach way, way back when I was a 1st grader. I have been teaching in CCSD since 2005. Over the years, I have taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. I also earned a master's degree in teaching reading and literacy.
Teaching is my passion and I love helping kids realize their potential. I like to think of my classroom as a family. If I am lucky enough to have you in my class, I hope you feel at home. We will work together as a team to help everyone achieve.
When I’m not teaching, I stay busy planning and running a summer camp for kids, which keeps me on my toes even when school is out! I also love spending time with my husband and our kids—one of whom is a proud Vassiliadis student! When we can get away, we enjoy visiting family in Australia. The native kookaburra is my favorite animal—look it up if you’ve never heard of it!
I am looking forward to getting to know you. Get ready for an amazing year!
Email: gallala@nv.ccsd.net
Patrick Minney
Hello! My name is Patrick Minney. This will be my 22nd year in CCSD overall, and my fourth year teaching 3rd grade here at Vassiliadis! By far, third grade has been my favorite grade to teach. In my CCSD career, I have taught mostly fourth grade, a year in fifth grade, and for reasons unknown a year in seventh grade math. I survived all of it and am glad to be here at Vassiliadis!
I am originally from St. Louis, but grew up in Central California (Fresno and Madera). This year also marks seventeen years of marriage to my wife, Colette. She loves to travel to far away lands, and thanks to her I’ve seen some amazing sites that I wouldn’t have ever thought to visit. While we have no kids at home, we do have four cats who just freeload around the house napping all day like lazy bums. My goal is to someday live the life that these cats live.
I am a lifelong fan of the Kansas City Chiefs (rebuilding the dynasty as I type), St. Louis Blues, and St. Louis Cardinals. My favorite thing in the world is Diet Coke. In fact I drink so much of it they should probably be paying me at this point.
I’m a very boring person in my spare time. When I’m not watching the Chiefs, Blues, or Cardinals, I’m usually complaining about them. Now that Vegas has sports teams, I get the privilege of not only watching my favorite teams when they visit, but also the added bonus of getting yelled at by the hometown fans for wearing Chiefs and Blues gear to the games (and soon, Cardinals). My other hobby is pretending I can play the guitar. If you squint really hard, it almost looks like I know how to play.
This year I will team up with Coach Komuro again to defend our varsity flag football championship after last year’s undefeated season.
We have a great team in 3rd grade this year, and I am glad to be a part of it once again. I look forward to working with you all this year!
Email: minnepj@nv.ccsd.net
Jaclyn Gambino
Hi, my name is Jaclyn Gambino and I love being a part of the Vassiliadis Team! This year will be full of new experiences as we build our classroom community. I am originally from Michigan and moved to Nevada in 2013. I attended Purdue University and graduated with a degree in Psychology and Child Development. I received a Masters in Social Work at the University of Michigan with a specialization in school counseling and child development. Before working in the Clark County School District, I was a school social work counselor in Michigan and Connecticut. I also received my Masters in Elementary Education from National University.
In my free time I enjoy yoga, staying active, and going to any sports game! I like to relax by going to the beach and spending time with family and friends. I work to create a warm, respectful, and safe learning environment for my students. Being a teacher is more than teaching academic skills; teachers leave a lasting impression on a child’s inner voice and confidence. Some of my favorite class activities include working on growth mindset and developing leadership skills that can extend outside the classroom. This will be a positive year for your child as we build on past successes and learn new things in third grade!
Email: gambij@nv.ccsd.net
Emily Hutchins
Hello Cubs! My name is Emily Hutchins and I am thrilled to start another year at Vassiliadis!
I was born and raised in Southern California. I grew up in a very small town in the San Bernardino Mountains. I got my B.A in Liberal Studies and Studio Art from Sonoma State University in 2015. Followed by my Masters in Education and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential in 2017 from the University of California at Riverside. I taught 3rd grade for 4 years in California and moved to Las Vegas in the summer of 2021, where I have taught 3rd and 2nd grade.
In my classroom I strive to create a fun and encouraging environment where kids can be successful academically and socially. I truly feel lucky to teach and get to know my students each year.
In my free time I like to cook new recipes, work in the garden and eat my way through Las Vegas! I also love to travel and eat my way through new cities! I have a passion for film photography and graphic design which I use in my classroom quite often.
I am so excited to get to work with you and your child this year. See you soon!
Email: hutchee@nv.ccsd.net
Janel Lazootin
Hi! My name is Janel Lazootin and I am thrilled to be a 3rd grade teacher at Vassiliadis Elementary! I have taught for CCSD for the past 18 years. I have taught 2nd, 6th, and 3rd grade. I am originally from Oregon but moved to Las Vegas in 2000 to attend UNLV. I later graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education. I moved straight into earning a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership.
My husband Shaun and I have three daughters: Addison , Mikaela , and Alana. My youngest is at Vassiliadis. I love to cheer on my favorite teams- Seattle Seahawks and, of course, Go Knights Go! I also enjoy hiking, reading, movies, trying out new restaurants, and traveling with my family. My goals as a teacher are to build relationships with my students and inspire them to love school, set and achieve their goals, and work towards achieving their absolute best! You are never too old to stop learning. I am delighted to be a part of the Vassiliadis family!
Email: lazoojl@nv.ccsd.net
Jennifer Trumble
Hello Cubs! My name is Jennifer Trumble and I am thrilled to be back for my fifth year as a member of the Vassiliadis family!
I was born and raised on Long Island in Woodbury, NY. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Arizona. Bear Down, Wildcats! Additionally, I earned my Master’s of Science degree in Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Technology from Nova Southeastern University. This will be my 17th year teaching and 15th for CCSD where I have taught 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. I absolutely love teaching 3rd grade because I am confident that I will thoroughly enrich and prepare my students for what’s to come. My goal as an educator is to engage my students in critical thinking, help students strengthen their self-efficacy in mathematics, improve their public speaking abilities, instill a love of reading of all genres and to create lifelong learners.
I have been married to my amazing husband, Kyle, for 3 years. We welcomed our son, Troy Mason, in January and we are so blessed. When I am not teaching, I enjoy traveling and visiting friends and family all over the country. I also like to attend concerts, watch college basketball (we won’t talk about the U of A Final Four game), attend sporting events (Go Knights Go!), try new recipes, shop and spend time by the pool. My students would say I appreciate anything nautical, coffee or college sport related.
Teaching is my passion and I am honored to be a part of the fantastic Vassiliadis community. I look forward to another wonderful and memorable school year.
Email: trumbjl1@nv.ccsd.net
Meredith Trochenski
Hi there, Cubs! My name is Meredith Trochenski and I absolutely LOVE teaching and challenging young minds!
I was born in Morristown, NJ, spent most of my childhood living in a suburb of Philadelphia, PA and moved to Spartanburg, SC for high school. After finishing high school, my parents moved out West to Las Vegas and my twin sister and I attended Arizona State University where I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education in 2003. Go Sun Devils! After graduating, we both moved up to Las Vegas to be closer to family, as our parents have now retired here. In 2008, I earned my Masters of Science degree in Literacy from Lesley University.
I have been teaching for a total of 23 years! I taught fourth grade for 11 years at Katz Elementary before teaching third grade accelerated at Staton Elementary for 8 years. Lastly, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching third grade here at Vassiliadis for the past 4 years!
My goal as a teacher has always been to make learning fun through integrating technology, proposing skill-based challenges and real-world scenarios, and using project-based learning!
In my leisure time, I love spending time with my husband, Steven, and our identical twin daughters, Ava and Chloe. I also enjoy vacationing to new destinations, particularly beaches! Hobbies of mine include hiking, attending concerts and sporting events, and relaxing by the pool.
Looking forward to a wonderful and memorable school year! Go Cubs!!!