PRESCOTT Area News

PRESCOTT – The Prescott School District welcomed new sta on Tuesday, Aug. 16 with a luncheon at The Old Ptacek's Event Center. Here's a peek at the new sta members who will begin their Prescott careers.

Chantelle Byram

Position: Benefits special –

ist/HR generalist

Hometown: River Falls Education: Master of Arts in human resources manage –

ment from St. Mary's Univer –

sity in Minneapolis

Experience: She began her career managing in the restau – rant industry, which is where she discovered an interest in human resources.

Hobbies/interests: Being outdoors, running, biking, kayaking, walking her dog, going to the beach, arts, trav – el, music, reading, movies and spreading time with family and friends.

What are you most looking forward to? I look for –

ward to developing new re – lationships and learning and growing within the Prescott School District. Katie Early

Position: Language arts teacher, Prescott Middle School

Hometown: She graduated from PHS in 2012.

Education: UW-Eau Claire for her undergraduate degree; she is licensed to teach ELA grades 6-12. Experience: For the last six years, she taught sixth and eighth grade language arts in Spring Valley. Hobbies/interests: Out – side of teaching, my favorite thing to do is spend time with husband, family and friends. I have six nephews and two nieces I adore. I love reading, practicing yoga, baking and boating. What do you love most about teaching? Building positive and professional rela – tionships with kids. I also love how quirky and goofy middle schoolers can be! It makes me feel like I can be goofy too. Britta Ernst

Position: Sixth grade spe –

cial education teacher, PMS

Hometown: Hastings, Minn., where she lives with her husband and 3-year-old daughter.

Education: Southwest Minnesota State University, degree in elementary educa – tion, minor in teaching English as a second language. She is also beginning the 10Sped program to obtain her special education license. Experience: She taught for five years in rural southwest Minnesota and two years at a small charter school south of the Twin Cities. Hobbies/interests: Home improvement projects, puz –

zles, family walks and week –

ends up north at the lake.

What do you love most about teaching? I love seeing students grow academically as well as socially. The transfor – mation students make over the years is amazing and it's such a blessing to be a part of that journey. Mary Gribble

Position: Second grade teacher, Malone Elementary

Education: UW-River Falls, Bachelor of Science in education; St. Mary's and Or –

ton-Gillinham for K-12 read –

ing certification.

Experience: Teaching pre – school, second, first and fifth grades and as a reading spe –

cialist.

Hobbies/interests: Spend –

ing time with her family, en – joying the outdoors, running and gardening. What do you love most about teaching? I am passion – ate about engaging students in experiences that promote self-discovery, independence and enthusiasm for learning. I am excited to be part of a teaching team and a district that is so committed to the students and their educational experience.

Nicole Lenzner

Position: Director of Nutri tion Services

Hometown: River Falls, with her children Austin and Abby Education: Bachelor of Science degree from UWStout in hotel, restaurant and tourism management. Experience: More than 15 years of food service ex –

perience and a variety of cer – tifications in dining and guest services. Hobbies/interests: Passion for the outdoors.

What are you most looking forward to? I'm looking forward to joining the Prescott School District family and meeting new sta and com –

munity members.

Alexis Magnino

Position: Fifth grade teach –

er, Malone Intermediate

Hometown: Ramona, Ca – lif.; currently living in Red Wing, Minn.

Education: California State University San Marcos, Bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies; Boise State Universi – ty, Master of Science degree in Educational Technology Hobbies/interests: Travel- ing, spending time with fam – ily, theatre, reading, karaoke, going to sporting events Family: I am the oldest of three girls. My parents and sis –

ters still live in sunny San Di – ego. I have one son, Cameron.

What are you most looking forward to? I am so excit- ed to be a part of the Prescott School District. I am looking forward to getting to know my new students and build –

ing relationships with my col –

leagues.

Camille Martsen

Position: Physical educa – tion teacher, grades K-3 and 6-8.

Family: She and her fian – cé have two dogs together: A wonderful Golden Retriever and a Jack Russell Terrier. Education: University of Minnesota-Duluth

Experience: Elementary phys ed teacher in Duluth for three years.

Hobbies/interests: Camp – ing, hiking, kayaking, playing guitar and playing ultimate frisbee.

What are you most looking forward to? I look for –

ward to being part of a small town community.

Nathan McPhetres

Position: Eighth grade

math teacher

Hometown: Hudson

Education: Luther College (undergrad), UW-River Falls (teaching program licensure) Hobbies/interests: Music, climbing, reading, gaming (board, video, yard, pretty much anything), puzzles What are you looking forward to most this year? The challenges and rewards of my first year of full-time teaching.

Tanya Mravik

Position: Middle school special education teacher

Hometown: Gilman, Wis.; current, Prescott

Education: UW-River Falls for undergrad in Psy –

chology and grad school (ele –

mentary education K-8)

Hobbies/interests: read- ing, doing puzzles (word search, fill-ins), volunteering (River Falls Public Library previously, Prescott Com – munity Education Advisory Board, currently).

Family: I have a 97-yearold grandma and a 17-year-old cat named Pumpkin. What are you looking forward to most this year? I am excited to have an after-school book club at the middle school this year and getting students reading and talking about books. Amy Nadeau

Position: PHS special edu cation teacher

Hometown: River Falls Education: University of St. Catherine's, Bachelor of Arts; Western Governors Uni –

versity, Master of Special Ed –

ucation

Hobbies/interests: I love walking our two dogs, Kenai and Bella. Reading a good book and watching a good Netflix series. Most of all, spending time with my family!

Family: I live in River Falls with my husband and daugh – ter, Arianna, 12. We have three adult children: Maya (28), Brenan (26), daughter-in-law Jessica; Evan (24), daughterin-law Amber; favorite grand –

son Myles (6).

What are you looking forward to most this year?

Meeting all the new students.

Maddie Olsen

Position: Math teacher, Prescott Middle School

Education: Recent UWEau Claire graduate

Experience: She complet –

ed her student teaching in Col –

by.

Family: She and husband Brady were married in June. They have a Goldendoodle puppy named Maverick.

Hobbies/interests: Spend –

ing time in the gym and out –

doors.

What do you most love about teaching and what are you looking forward to? I love connecting with students. I know kids go through a lot and I strive to create a space for them to feel safe in my classroom. I also love when a challenging concept or some –

thing a student has been work – ing on for a while "clicks." I look forward to meeting the sta, getting involved in the Prescott community and watching Cardinal athletic events. Jennifer Rohl

Position: Special education teacher, Malone Elementary

Hometown: I grew up in Prescott and raised my family here. I have four children who all went to Prescott. Education: She attended UW-River Falls and attained special education licensure through Edu-CATE WI-St. Mary's University. Experience: She has 2.5 years of experience teaching special education. Hobbies/interests: Estab – lishing personal connections with students and families while working in special edu –

cation.

What are you most looking forward to? Working with the students and sta in her hometown. Joy Schreiber

Position: PHS special edu cation teacher

Family: Joy and her hus – band have six children, three of whom are adopted. Education: Concordia University for her undergrad – uate degree and University of Notre Dame for her Master's in music. She is currently en – rolled at St. Mary's University to complete her Master's of education. Experience: She taught in Worthington, Minn. for the past seven years. Hobbies/interests: Playing piano and singing for church, working on her house and hik –

ing with her family.

Lindsey Spielmann

Position: Second grade special education teacher, Malone Elementary Family: She and husband Patrick have been married for nine years and recently moved to River Falls with their two daughters, Scottie (3) and Ste – vie (1). They have plans to build a home in Oak Grove. Education: A Bachelor's degree in elementary educa –

tion, minor in special educa –

tion with a reading endorse – ment at Clarke University, Dubuque, Iowa Experience: She taught for nine years in Farmington, Minn. teaching K-2 and read –

ing.

What do you love most about teaching? The oppor – tunity to make an impact in my students' lives. There is nothing more rewarding than watching kids grow and help –

ing them reach their goals.

Sandy Strand

Position: Director of Stu dent Services

Family: Proud parent of two adult children and wife to amazing husband Neal. Hometown: Born and raised in central Wisconsin

Education: Attended both UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout for communication disorders and vocational rehabilitation. She also received her teaching credentials from UW-Stout. Experience: She taught high needs special education for eight years and spent the last 15 years as a director of special education in Minne – sota where she obtained her educational specialist degree and her director of special ed –

ucation licensure.

What are you most looking forward to? I am excited to join Prescott schools and be part of all things Cardinal Pride!

Jonathan Viegut

Position: Grades 6-8 band instructor, PMS

Education: Recent gradu –

ate of UW-Eau Claire

Hobbies/interests: Run – ning with his fiancée, listening to music and reading genres. What do you love most about teaching? I love ed- ucation because it's about the challenge. I love being a teacher because I love see – ing students be proud of their work. Lindsey Wall

Position: Grades 6-12

math interventionist

Family: She and her hus –

band have three daughters.

Education: UW-La Crosse for elementary and second – ary education, certification to teach K-12 math. Experience: Teaching in Minnesota and Iowa grades 6-8. Hobbies/interests: Spend – ing time with family at her northern Minnesota cabin. What do you love most about teaching? I enjoy working with students and seeing the lightbulb go on when things start to click into place, as well as building con – nections with each of them. I also have a passion for math and enjoy passing that along to students. Ross Wargula

Position: Eighth grade spe –

cial education teacher, PMS

Family: My wife Michelle and I welcomed our son, Brooks, to the world May 24. Education: Bachelor's in marketing communications from UW-River Falls, Mas – ter's in coaching and athletic administration from Concor- dia, Master's in special ed – ucation from Grand Canyon University.

Experience: Four years working with grades 6-10.

Hobbies/interests: Coach- ing football and wrestling, playing golf and traveling.

What do you love most about teaching? Helping stu – dents reach their potential and the reward of seeing students make that breakthrough past a tough challenge. Courtney Westberg

Position: Fourth grade teacher, Prescott Intermediate

Family: She and husband Lance have been married for two years. Education: Bachelor of Science in elementary educa – tion from UW-River Falls; she is currently pursuing her Mas –

ter's degree from Mankato.

Experience: Seven years of teaching at the elementary level. Hobbies/interests: Run – ning, boating, playing games and cheering on the UWRF Falcons!

What are you most looking forward to? Getting to know the sta and students at Prescott. I hope to get involved in the community and explore and experience the vast oppor –

tunities of the area.

Prescott School District new staff were welcomed to the district at a luncheon Tuesday, Aug. 16. Pictured are (from left): Nathan McPhetres, Britta Ernst, Amy Nadeau, Lindsey Spielmann, Courtney Westberg, Mary Gribble, Joy Schreiber, Maddie Olsen, Camille Marsten, Katie Early, Lindsey Wall, Alexis Magnino and Ross Wargula. Not pictured: Chantelle Byram, Nicole Lenzner, Sandy Strand, Jonathon Viegut, Tanya Mravik and Jennifer Rohl. Photo courtesy of Prescott School District