Mrs. Ellis Bio
Mrs. Tiffany Ellis
Education Background:
In 1998 I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in History with a minor in Political Science from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. That year, I enrolled in the School of Education's graduate program for teachers, and in 1999 I earned my Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education (social studies emphasis). In college, I worked as an intern at the Washington State History Museum creating history curriculum trunks for elementary teachers.
Professional Background:
Personal Life and Interests
I began my first three years of teaching at Illahee Junior High School in Federal Way, Washington and then moved to Arizona where I began teaching both middle and high school history. I have been working in the DVUSD district since 2006 and I have been at SDOHS since 2009.
Special Recognition and Awards:
From 2008-2015 I traveled and studied US history through the Gilder Lehrman Institute and participated in classes and seminars at Columbia University and Northern Arizona University. I attended yearly conventions for the National Council for the Social Studies where I presented in Denver Colorado (2011) and Seattle (2012). I also won an award for best lesson plan from the Western History Association National Conference in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. I was also named Teacher of the Year for Deer Valley Unifed School District in 2014 and presented with the "Great Moments in Teaching" award through the Arizona Council for the Social Studies in 2015.
From 2015-2020 I was selected for the "Great Moments in Teaching" award through the Arizona Council for the Social Studies and in 2016 I won the Military History Prize for an in-depth lesson plan entry on American Indians during the French and Indian War. In 2017 I became the New Teacher liason at SDOHS while teaching both APUSH and Dual Enrollment US History through Rio Salado Community College.
During Covid and after I have settled down a bit. In 2021 I started teaching Advanced Placement Human Geography and have been working to improve my individual course offerings post Covid. The year 2023 will mark my 24th year of teaching and my 14th year at SDOHS. I will be teaching one class of Dual Enrollment US History, one class of AP Human Geography, and three classes of APUSH.
Personal Life and Interests
One of my favorite things to do is spend time with my family outside. We like to travel (I love national parks) and we enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, and just hanging out in nature. If teaching had not been my calling, I would currently be working for the forest service or as a park ranger. I also enjoy reading, nature journaling, and photography.
Email: tiffany.ellis@dvusd.org
Qualifications: B.A. Major: History Minor: Political Science M.A.T: Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education with Social Studies Emphasis