Schools welcome new teachers despite tight budgets, cuts

There are fewer new faces at the front of area classrooms this year.

Despite budget cuts and a poor economy, all area school districts are welcoming new teachers or administrators.

Franklin County welcomes fewer than 25 new teachers and administrators this year, compared to more than 60 last year.

Wellsville

Adams is a graduate of Wellsville and has lived in the area most of his life.

He was the athletic director and head boys basketball coach at Garnett and taught chemistry and physics his first nine years. He served as athletic director for the past three years.

Adams said the move allows him more time to spend with his wife, Heather, and 4-year-old son, Maverick.

• Jamie Carey — inter-related resource provider; special education for kindergarten and first grade; volleyball coach at Wellsville Middle School

Carey did her student teaching at Wellsville before helping with the district’s special needs preschool. She then taught special education at De Soto for a year.

She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in adaptive special education from Baker University.

• Beth Dial — kindergarten, Wellsville Elementary School

Dial is an Emporia State University graduate with a degree in elementary education.

She grew up in Osawatomie and taught two years at Wellington. She also coached varsity cheerleading for two years.

“Wellsville is close to family,” she said.

• Brandi Miller — physical science, WHS

Miller taught eighth grade science at Emporia Middle School for two years.

She and her husband, Jason, who also is a new teacher this year, have a 7-month-old daughter.

• Jason Miller — algebra, WHS

Miller taught math at Chase County for two years.

He said being able to teach in the same district as his wife, Brandi, attracted him to the area.

Miller said he enjoys all sports, is a University of Kansas fan, avid runner and coin collector.

• Andy Wright — special education, WMS; head wrestling coach, WHS

Wright said he came to the district because it was closer to home.

He had been at Spring Hill High School teaching special education for a year.

West Franklin

This is Bromley’s first teaching job. He attended Missouri Southern State University.

He is engaged to Colleen Brigman, with a wedding planned for next year.

• Elizabeth Giffin — sixth and seventh grade English, West Franklin Middle School

Giffin taught at Appanoose and Pomona middle schools for 10 years. The last place she taught was Central Heights Middle School for four years.

She grew up north of Pomona and attended schools in the West Franklin district. She and her husband, Kim, have four daughters, Marisa, Amanda, Alissa and Megan.

• Laura Jeannin — first grade, Wellsville Elementary School; freshman volleyball coach

Jeannin attended Ottawa University and played volleyball. This is her first year teaching.

She said she likes the small-town atmosphere and staff of the district.

• Audra McCurdy — special education, West Franklin Learning Center

McCurdy was a substitute teacher for the West Franklin and Central Heights school districts for the past year and a half.

She is married with two children and has a bachelor’s degree in animal science. McCurdy said she is working on her master’s degree at Pittsburg State University.

• Aaron Poston — special education, WFHS

Poston said the district is close to home, which is Topeka.

This is his first year teaching.

• Jessica Taylor — fifth grade, WES

Taylor is a Kansas State University graduate.

She said the small-town environment and welcoming community and staff attracted her to the district.

“I am very excited to be part of the West Franklin district and start my teaching career at Williamsburg,” she said.

• Connie Wadkins — business and technology, West Franklin middle and high schools

Wadkins studied education at Baker University.

This is her first year teaching. She previously was a human resource manager at a commercial printing company.

“The staff and students are really special,” she said of the district.

• Rusty Whittington — special education, WFHS; head girls basketball coach, WFHS

Whittington said the area is close to where he grew up, and that attracted him to the district.

For the past 15 years, he taught and coached at Haysville.

Central Heights

This is Hevel’s first teaching job. He said the district is close to home.

“I’m very excited to be a Viking,” he said.

• Trent Page — agriculture education

Page did his student teaching at Washington County High School.

He said he liked the size of Central Heights and the rural setting.

“This position allows me to work with FFA members in every stage of the organization,” he said.

Ottawa

Bender taught special education in Johnson County for the past 10 years.

He said the district’s and community’s positive reputations attracted him to Ottawa. But that wasn’t all that attracted him.

 “One [reason] was the age and make-up of the students I will be getting the chance to work with, and the type of skills I will be able to work on teaching them,” he said.

Bender and his wife of 15 years have three children and live in Olathe. He said he enjoys sports — watching, playing and coaching — teaching Sunday School and spending time with family and friends.

• Anessa Burgess, special education, Eisenhower Elementary School

Burgess said close friends in the area attracted her to the district.

She had worked in Manhattan since 2004.

• Christina Evans — kindergarten, Eugene Field

Evans did not return a background questionnaire for The Herald and did not return a phone call at the school this morning.

• Janell Goedert — fourth grade, Garfield Elementary School

Goedert has been a elementary teacher for 27 years. She was at Manhattan for a year and Concordia for 26 years.

She and her husband, Joe, have four sons.

• Tara Gray — vocal music, Ottawa High School

Gray taught in Iola for eight years as an elementary music teacher.

“ I was attracted to this position because I was looking for a new challenge, and I thought high school would be fun and exciting,” she said.  “I’ve always enjoyed working with high school students, and I think this will be a good experience and I look forward to building a strong vocal music program.”

• Jennifer Kane — seventh grade language arts, OMS

Kane was born and raised in Ottawa. She was a substitute teacher for more than four years and received her teaching certification from Ottawa University.

She is married to Brian Kane, Ottawa School Board president.

• Leslie Rogers — fourth grade, Eugene Field Elementary School

Rogers is a graduate of Ottawa University and was attracted to the school through her training at OU.

She lives with her husband in Wellsville.