2016-17 is my third year in the music department in the Malvern Public Schools, and my fourth year in the district.  I began my career here as the instructional aide in the MLA at the 7th-8th grade level.  I am formerly the music teacher/choral director at Wilson Intermediate School, and one of the music teachers at Malvern Elementary where I taught music classes for grades K,1, and 2, and was one of the directors of the choir at Malvern Elementary.  Currently, I am the Choral Music Director and General Music teacher for Malvern Middle School and Choral Director at Malvern High School

I began teaching in 1998 at Malvern High School, when I took a long-term substitute position for then-choral director Charles Parham. After his return, I began teaching music at St. Joseph Catholic School in Fayetteville, AR.  I remained there, teaching music and drama in grades pre-K to 7.  I "retired" in 2004 to stay home and raise my daughter Hallie, but taught a few semesters at The New School in Fayetteville as their interim music teacher/choral director.  I also led worship and was the music director for our large Easter productions at my church, Immanuel Baptist in Rogers, for several years. In 2013, I returned home to Malvern and to the classroom.  

 I am married  to Shaun Sanders, and between us we have 4 children.  Three of them - Hunter, Tucker are twins and Seniors, and Maddie is a Sophomore at Bauxite High School. Hallie is 6th grader at Wilson Elementary. She is a very talented singer herself, and being a mom is my proudest accomplishment.  I have a very active dog named Kevin and a very stubborn cat named Bruce.

My family bleeds orange and black!  My parents AND grandparents went to Malvern High School.  My great - grandfather was a school board member,  My father is the late Rick Dial, the "Voice of the Leopards", my mom is a past PTA president, and my brother and sister also work in the district, one as a teacher and one as an administrator.  We love this community and this school system.

I have several hobbies - reading, anything crafty and decorating spaces are some of the ways I love to relax.  Anyone who knows me is familiar with my love of all things scary!  I love to dress up and decorate the house for trick or treaters at Halloween, I am always the first in line at the theater for a new scary movie, and my personal record for the number of haunted houses I went through in one month is 12!

Much of my spare time is spent rehearsing and performing music.  I have sung in many bands in Northwest and Central Arkansas, and currently I am the singer for a cover band called Super 55.  We have had the privilege to play all over the state.  It is great fun, and I get to do what I love and meet a lot of interesting people and fellow musicians at the same time.  My husband is the drummer for the band, so we enjoy doing that together.  My entire family is musical.  So really, even when I am "off the clock", music is never far from my mind.