Hello!  My name is Vic Lakso.  I have lived in Madison for about 14 years and I love it!  This is my fifth year teaching 3rd grade here at CES.  I have been married for 15 years and we have two daughters; Emma is in 9th grade and Sophie is in 6th grade.  I was born in Lafayette, Louisiana.  We lived there until I was 3 years old.  I grew up south of Boston, Massachusetts.  I received an Associates Degree in Travel and Tourism Management from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island in 2003.  After that, I enlisted in the United States Air Force where I was trained to speak Mandarin Chinese as an Airborne Cryptologic Linguist.  When my family settled in Madison, I began substitute teaching and proctoring the ACTs and SATs.  I was able to go back to school to get my Bachelors in Elementary Education, summa cum laude.  I am so thrilled to be a teacher!  We are a family here at Columbia!

I have a passion for travel, foreign languages, foreign cultures and working with children, helping them foster a love of lifelong learning.  I took 6 years of French, 2 years of Spanish, 1 year of Italian and, of course, Mandarin from the Air Force.  I know phrases from many other languages, including Norwegian, Japanese, Korean, Arabic and German.  I consider it my goal to learn "hello" and "thank you" in as many languages as I can.  My minor in educational technology has fostered a growing desire to incorporate global collaboration in my classroom, allowing my students to interact with and learn from other students from all over the country and world.  I believe this helps children to develop a respect for and understanding of cultural diversity.

In my free time, I love to crochet.  I had a small business crocheting personalized items from baby loveys and amigurumi stuffed animals to large afghans.  I donated many infant hats to hospitals for newborns and preemies and memorial photos.  I also love to read and spend as much time as I can with my daughters and my husband and cuddling with my Irish Water Spaniel, Siggi.

I know we are going to have an amazing year!

#GladToBeHere

#AstroStrong

"Tell me and I forget. 

Teach me and I remember. 

Involve me and I learn."

~Benjamin Franklin