Hello! My name is Kelly Vargas and I’m very excited to be able to make a difference in your child’s education. Born and raised in Long Branch and having graduated from Long Branch High School myself, has made the opportunity to give back to my own community so much more rewarding. I graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Sociology. Later on I decided to continue my studies and received my Master’s Degree in Education for TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). I began my career as a teacher in Long Branch in 2004. I taught 1st grade for four years, 6th grade for two years, 5th grade for six years and this is my 8th year teaching 4th grade. I am very excited to work with fourth grade again this year and help our students to be the most prepared that they can be to continue their education here in the Long Branch School District. On a more personal level, I'm a mother to three beautiful girls, Juliena who will be 12 in November and Victoria and Christina (twins) who will be celebrating their 8th birthday in October. I love spending time with them and watching them grow and blossom. As a mother and educator, I fully understand the importance of not only education in our children's lives, but also the importance of receiving love and attention from all that are involved in their lives. As the African proverb goes, "It takes a village to raise a child." I am honored to be a part of your child's "village".