Mrs. Dickens is a 2002 Van Buren High School graduate. She graduated from the University of Arkansas Fort Smith in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science with Teaching Licensure in History. In 2015 she achieved her National Board Certification in English Language Arts of Early Adolescents. This school year starts Mrs. Dickens’ 13th year teaching, with 11 of those being in Alma at the Middle School. She has taught 6th, 7th, & 8th grade Social Studies;  6th grade Tools to Learn & Enrichment; 7th & 8th grade Language Arts; 11th Grade American literature; AP Language and Composition, & a K-1 tutor & K-4 computer lab teacher. Mrs. Dickens has been married for 15 years to her husband Brent and has two children. Her daughter, Caroline, is 8 and her son, Cooper, is 5.