Meet Missy Vagle. She supports our students in all four Big Lake schools who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, and deaf-blind. Take a moment and read more about Missy, her family, and what she loves about Big Lake.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My husband Joel is a technology teacher at Osseo Middle School. We live in Big Lake with our four children: Britta, Anders, Annika, and Eva. This coming school year will be the one and only school year that we will have one kiddo in each building!
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
My favorites are El Loro, Grind, and Trails.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past or future career plan. What do you/did you love most about it?
I am a teacher and I have a unique position that I love. I work in all four of the buildings in this district. I work with students that are deaf/hard of hearing, students that are blind/visually impaired, and students that are deafblind. I love my job! I love working with staff to learn about their students, and I love watching my students learn to advocate for themselves. I’m so lucky to be able to watch my students grow and progress through their entire school careers!
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I will be starting my 15th year teaching this fall. My family has lived in Big Lake for 13 years.
Q: Do you have any pets? If so, what are they and what are their names?
We have one dog, Opal, and two outdoor cats, Hagrid and McGonagall.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV Shows?
My favorite movies are The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Greatest Showman.
Q: What is your favorite holiday? Favorite season?
This has changed as I’ve gotten older. My favorite holiday is now Easter due to all of the traditions our family has started. My favorite season is summer.
Q: What advice would you give to people living in Big Lake?
Get to know your town – it’s a good one!
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
Regarding my career – perhaps going back to school for my PhD in deafblindness, but still working in education (but maybe with a smidge more leadership added to my role)
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
See Garth Brooks live, perform on my violin some day, and be an active member of a book club for at least a year.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
When I retire, I’d like to work part-time for a funeral home.
Q: What is your favorite current or former business in our community?
The wholesale store!
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
Pretty much right where we are, but with more of our house projects completed, hopefully! And watching our children grow up! We look forward to more road trips and camping.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My children inspire me to be better. I want them to look back on their upbringing fondly. And my students!
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of Big Lake?
Small, a nice community, and Hornets!