Nineteen new teachers have been welcomed to the Clintonville Public School District for the 2012-13 school year.
The district held an orientation day for new teachers on Monday, Aug. 27. The following information was obtained from a survey sent out by the County Post East to help introduce the new teachers to our readers. Here are a few responses:
Amy Boerboom
Elementary ELL and Seventh Grade Spanish, Elementary and Middle Schools
Boerboom completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She is a first year teacher who hails from Fargo, North Dakota.
“My goal for the year is to help all my students become better readers and writers,” said Boerboom. “I love to laugh with my students and keep school fun.”
Maggie Burton
Sixth Grade, Middle School
Burton earned a degree in Elementary Education and Math from Carthage College in 2011. She has worked as a substitute teacher, Autism Line Therapist, and home school teacher.
“I enjoy making a positive impact on the lives of students and I look forward to building relationships with the students and staff at Clintonville Middle School,” said Burton. “This year I hope to give my students healthy reading and writing habits that they can carry with them as they pass through middle school, high school and out in to the world beyond Clintonville.”
Lindsay Carlson
Third Grade, Rexford-Longfellow
Carlson earned her degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. This is her first full-time position.
“I love building relationships with my students and impacting the life of a child,” said Carlson. “I plan to implement a number of different technological teaching strategies as well as get to know the students, staff, and parents in the Clintonville School District.”
David Cullen
Special Education Administration, All Schools
Cullen earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern Illinois and his Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He has 10 years experience in special education teaching, and 20 years experience in special education administration.
“I look forward to providing great service for all students with disabilities,” said Cullen. “The students are the best part about this job.”
Stephanie Diedrick
Fourth Grade, Rexford-Longfellow
Diedrick earned her degree in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She has worked as a summer camp counselor, literacy summer school teacher, and line therapist. This will be her first year as a fourth grade teacher.
“I love coming to work every day knowing I can make a difference,” said Diedrick. “Growing up I knew I always wanted to teach and I enjoy every moment. The teaching atmosphere here at Longfellow is unbelievable. I am excited to be a part of the Clintonville School District and cannot wait to see what this year holds.
“My goal for this year is to have a successful first year,” she stated. “I also would like to create a positive learning environment within my classroom where I can teach my students to be lifelong learners. My goal is to help my students succeed inside and outside of the classroom.”
Kristy Erickson
Early Childhood Special Education, Dellwood
Erickson is a graduate of Clintonville High School and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She has a dual major in Early Childhood Special Education (Pre-K to 6 Regular Ed and Birth to Grade 3 Special Ed). She is starting her first year as a teacher.
“I really enjoy working with children and families at the beginning of their educational journey,” said Erickson. “My goal for the year is to provide differentiated instruction to each of my students to meet their specific individual needs.”
Josh Heyer
Band, High School
Heyer is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He has five years experience teaching instrumental and general music in the Green Bay Catholic Schools.
“I enjoy helping students achieve success,” he said. “My goals for the year are to get to know my students and co-workers, and help my students achieve success in the music classroom.”
Katie Laubenstein
Music, Rexford-Longfellow
Laubenstein graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She worked for two years in the Sheboygan district and then worked the past two years in Oshkosh, teaching elementary music and middle school choir.
“I love being able to share my love of music with students,” she stated. “My goal is to inspire my students in the hopes that they will have a life that is enriched by music.”
Alicia Malmstadt
Eighth Grade Special Education, Middle School
Malmstadt earned a degree in Child Development from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and also a degree from St. Mary’s University in Special Education, specializing in Emotional Behavioral Disorders. She previously worked as the lead teacher at Momentum Early Learning Center in Sussex.
“I love watching the students grow and develop,” she said. “I also love knowing that I am making a difference in another person’s life. My goals for this upcoming school year are to build a strong rapport with my parents and students and to see significant changes in my students each day.”
Megan Jo Meyers
Kindergarten, Rexford-Longfellow
Meyers earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education and a minor in Spanish from Iowa State University. She has taught second and third grade as well as special education K-4 in Chicago Public Schools after student teaching in Chicago Public Schools. She has been working at a preschool for the past year with early learners.
“I love being with the children,” Meyers said. “They are so energetic and eager to learn! They drive me to work hard to provide an environment that will increase that excitement about learning.
“I can’t wait for my students to see how much they’ve grown over the course of the year and for them to feel proud of all their hard work,” stated Meyers. “I look forward to all of those ‘Ah-hah!’ moments when my student will make connections on their own.”
Dean Muthig
Physical Education, Middle and Elementary Schools
Muthig earned his degree at Carthage College and has one year of experience teaching in Clintonville and seven years experience at Wabeno High School.
“I enjoy being an active part of shaping the lives of students,” said Muthig. “My first goal for this school year is to survive!”
Jessica Ray
Fifth and Sixth Grade Special Education, Middle School
Ray earned a degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where she majored in Elementary Education and Special Education, Grades 1-8. She taught summer school in Jefferson this summer, working with students who have cognitive disabilities.
“I most enjoy working with students to help them become high achievers,” said Ray. “My goals for this school year are to help my students to become high achievers through the use of research-based practices, technology, and collaboration with teachers and parents.”
Staci Rubenzer
World Studies and US History, High School
Rubenzer earned her degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She is a former substitute teacher for the Clintonville Public School District.
“I care about the students at Clintonville High School and am glad to have the opportunity to educate them for their citizenship and for their future,” said Rubenzer. “I want the students in my classes to feel a personal connection to the Social Studies content, learning it in a lasting and meaningful way. I want the students to start to see their place in their community and the world.”
Stephanie Schauer
Math, High School
Schauer graduated from St. Norbert College in 2010 with a Bachelors degree in Mathematics, a Secondary Education Certification, and a Spanish Minor. She was a math teacher at Big Foot Union High School in Walworth from 2010-2012.
“I will incorporate literacy strategies and technology into my classroom to meet the needs of all students,” said Schauer. “I will become an active member of the Clintonville school district and community. I will have fun and enjoy every moment. I am excited to be a Trucker!
“I love to get the students excited about mathematics and encourage them to actively participate and have fun in class,” she continued. “I like to see all students challenge themselves and learn something new each day, regardless of whether they struggle or excel in math. Students enjoy being able to understand how math is used in their daily lives and how it will be important to them, and I love being able to expand it to information outside their textbooks. The students’ smiles make me love this profession. I am more than a teacher-I am a mentor and a role model to my students.”
Isaac Schwartz
Sixth through Eighth Grade Band, Middle School
Schwartz, a native of Ithaca, NY, earned his degree in Music Education from Lawrence University in 2011. He was a student teacher in Fond du Lac in 2011 and was a substitute teacher in Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Menasha, and Reedsville in spring of 2012.
“I love teaching students to play new instruments,” said Schwartz. “My goal for the year is to develop a solid musical foundation in all my students, and foster a sense of enjoyment for music and a community of support in my classroom.”
Annette Van Straten
Choir/Music, Middle School
Van Straten earned her degree at Marian University. She completed her student teaching in the Fond du Lac School District, and also was a substitute teacher in the Fond du Lac District.
“I love working with students and singing!” she exclaimed. “My goal is to get as many students to enjoy making music together as possible. My goal is for students to not only survive, but thrive!”
Tim Welch
Third Grade, Rexford-Longfellow
Welch is a 2004 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He has seven years of work experience teaching fourth grade in Iola/Scandinavia and one year teaching fourth grade in Antigo.
“A couple of things I enjoy most about my job are interaction with the students and trying to make learning fun for everyone in the room,” said Welch. “Seeing my students grow and change during the year is always exciting. I will try hard to get to know all of the students personally and find out what things they love to do outside of school.”
Caitlin Werder
ELL, High School and Middle School
Werder earned her degree from Bethel University. This is her first full-time teaching position.
“I love the kids I get to work with and learning about their different cultures. I also love the people I work with. I love that I can make a difference in my students’ lives,” said Werder. “My goals are to have a fun school year and to have my students English proficiency progress as much as possible.”
Sarah Wong
Third Grade, Rexford-Longfellow
Wong earned her degree at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She was a nanny this summer and is entering her first year as a third grade teacher.
I love that each day brings something new and exciting. I also love that I get to wear many different hats throughout the day such as being a writer, storyteller, artist, director, mathematician and the list goes on,” said Wong. “My goals for this school year are to turn my new-coming third graders into successful going-to-be fourth graders and be able to see growth in each of my students.”