Meet GreatSchools: Jennifer Fleming

We love our senior user-interface designer, Jen Fleming. With an impressive 14 years of experience designing for the Web, for such clients as Ask.com, Ofoto/Kodak Gallery, and Silicon Graphics], Jen brings her expertise to refining both GreatSchools and our newest program, College Bound. But it's her fresh humor and humility at the office that truly brighten our days.

What inspires you about the GreatSchools mission?
Jen: I'm driven by our dream to get parents more involved in their children's lives. As a mother it's very motivating to know that I can help my daughter be her best just by being a loving and involved parent. Reading to her daily, teaching her the names of flowers, or keeping art supplies readily available will each positively impact her success in life, and make the process of parenting very rewarding.

Who in your childhood most inspired your love of learning?
Jen: My grandmother inspired the greatest love of learning for me. Though we lived on opposite coasts, she was persistent in educating me to respect wildlife and our environment, and to make things for myself. As a master seamstress, crafter, musician, and outdoorsy woman, she strove to share her love of life with me in every way that she could. I feel much of her influence in my life every day.

What's the best parenting advice you've heard?
Jen: Don't forget to take care of yourself! Remembering to eat healthily, get enough sleep, and exercise should be a priority for parents as much as their kids. It's too easy to overlook these basics in the demands of school and work schedules.

Thanks, Jen! It's true... a run-down, frazzled parent will have a tougher time making the best parenting decisions.
Jen: So we should all remember to be healthy for ourselves, and especially for our kids.