About Mrs. Snively

I am a native Californian (born the year before Disneyland opened) and I grew up in nearby Carson. 
My best friend loved to read as much as I did, and she, too, went on to work in a school library.
My mother taught me to read before I started Kindergarten by reading to me every day. I still own the first book I ever read all by myself Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik. When I was in 1st grade my father inspired me to tackle more difficult books by reading aloud to me from Nancy Drew mystery stories. That well-worn set of Nancy Drew mysteries is one of my prized possessions.
Left: Some favorite childhood books. 
Right: In junior high I was crazy about The Monkees and the Doors. By high school I was stacking Neil Young, Led Zepplin, and Joni Mitchell vinyl records on my stereo turntable. I learned to drive in a cherry red 1969 Ford Mustang. My first (and forever favorite) car was a blue 1963 Volkswagen Beetle.
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I have been the Library Media Specialist at Grand View since 1999. In June 2008 I was honored as the MBUSD Classified Employee of the Year. In addition to working for MBUSD, I enjoy working at the Redondo Beach Public Library. I graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a degree in journalism and was recognized as Woman Journalist of the Year, but after an internship at the Daily Breeze I realized the rough-and-ready world of the press room was not for me. I traveled extensively in Europe to earn a degree in Life to go with my university degree. Some jobs I have had in the past include painting billiard lamps; training young people to be Fotomates; reading for the blind; and serving at The Kettle in Manhattan Beach and at Ocean Diner in Hermosa Beach.
I have visited England, Ireland, France, Spain, Switzerland, Holland, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. Someday, I hope to see more of the United States by visiting baseball stadiums and indie bookstores around the country. I belong to a book club and love to garden. 
I am a member of the Manhattan Beach Historical Society, South Bay Literacy Council, FOCAL, and CSLA. I was honored to serve as a long-time member of the School Site Council at Grand View and as a mentor for the Safe School Ambassador program. When called upon. I can play four songs on the piano. I collect music boxes and have more than fifty, some of which are on display in the library.
My husband, Steve, is a website designer. He grew up in Carefree, Arizona, where he rode his horse, Big Enough, to the four-room schoolhouse that served his neighborhood. We have been blessed to be reunited with Steve's daughter and our four grandchildren.
Our sons were Grand View Gators and attended Mira Costa High School where they were members of the Badminton Team. River was recognized as a National Merit Scholar at Costa and his team won the Scholar Quiz his senior year. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California at Berkeley with a double major in physics and mathematics. He received his Ph.D in high energy physics at UCLA where he met and married Emma, who earned her Ph.D in laser physics. Their two sons are the newest readers in the family. Rory took advantage of all Costa had to offer and took multiple AP classes and was a member of the Comedy Sportz Team. He performed with the marching band, wind ensemble, jazz band, Young Musicians Performance Academy, and in the pit for several drama department productions. Rory holds a B.S. degree in Computer Science from UCLA and works at Brainium Studios. He plays bass guitar and percussion in rock ensembles featured at local venues and in musical stage productions. We have one antique cat.