Virginia is a retired Arizona elementary and middle school teacher. She also taught in rural South Dakota and inner-city Wilmington, NC. When substituting in grades 2--8, she shares a collection of animal bones- even a whale rib. Her true dog rescue stories are published in The Wag Magazine Fall Issue 2022 and Summer Issue 2023.
Active as a Child Safety Advocate urging school districts to enforce school safety policies.
Advocates for school districts to hire certified elementary school librarians. They provide literacy leadership.
Advocates for school districts to provide Asthma Education Training for Teachers. (Check out Michigan Dept. of Education.)
Virginia is passionate about promoting curiosity and appreciation for Mother Earth and her inhabitants from creatures to plants. Her unpublished books in manuscript form explore topics that capture the imagination of young readers. Tarantulas robbed and kidnapped, Saguaro Skeletons scaring desert animals, a young girl saving a bird cut by a kite line, and a great horned owl nesting area about to be demolished. Additional information for teachers and parents in the back pages will provide resources about the books’ topics.
She encouraged her upper elementary school students ages 9 to 13 to apply their varied talents and passions in projects that contributed to their school and community. She emphasized a learning team approach for content subjects including the fine arts as students prepared readers theatre and multimedia presentations with a STEAM approach. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Music, too!
An adventuresome child who loved the outdoors and hugged trees, even top branches supporting her self-built tree house. Virginia grew up in small South Dakota towns: Pierre, Vermillion, and Yankton. (Free to roam by bike or horseback). Collecting rocks, fossils, shells, driftwood, snakes, salamanders, etc. sparked exploring along the Missouri River, Lewis and Clark Lake, cemeteries, old abandoned houses, quarries, pastures, University of South Dakota buildings, etc.. As an adult, curiosity continued to fuel her hiking and riding through Arizona deserts, State Parks, hills, mountains, and even a rafting tour for eight days down the Colorado River and surviving Lava Falls Rapid.
Her first horse was a birthday surprise grazing in the front yard. Two years later Pat's foal was delivered by Dr. Brooks Ranney who boarded her along with his own horses
Unusual, but Dr. Ranney delivered Virginia's two children in future years. No, he was not a veterinarian.
Because she loved horses and reading Walter Farley’s Black Stallion books, she was inspired at 13 to buy, on her own, a young, unbroken, black American Saddlebred mare. Training own horse made her dream came true. Beauty bucked off trainers until Virginia’s careful stall to barn aisle to corral handling, built trust with this spirited horse. They enjoyed many trails with the Horse Club neighborhood pals.
Newsletter and Special Resources Coming
Children's book author Virginia McGregor began publishing her writing with dog rescue stories in The Wag Magazine. Fall Issue 2022 and Summer Issue 2023 (Arizona open canal water dangers)
Copyright © 2023 Virginia McGregor - All Rights Reserved. Children Photos taken by Virginia McGregor
"Pulse of the Planet" artist Laurie Manzano (rights owned by Virginia McGregor)
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