Meet the staff: Charles City teachers begin first year

Staff report

Twenty new staff members join the Charles City Community School District this year — and they’re excited to get the school year rolling.

We asked staff members to briefly tell us about themselves. Get to know your students’ teachers here as the year starts.

Brandy Anderson, seventh grade mathematics

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Educational background: University of Northern Iowa

Years in education: First year teaching! Substituted for five years.

Favorite thing about the first day of school?: A new school year starts with so many new things: classmates, books, classes, school supplies, teachers, classrooms, co-workers. You can start with a clean (new) slate and even completely reinvent yourself. It’s a bit like celebrating New Year’s Eve in the middle of the calendar year. Complete with new hopes, new focus, new dreams … I am just so excited to get to know and build relationships with fellow comets!

Caleb Davidson, Special Education-Strat I Middle School

Hometown: Onalaska, WI

Educational background: BA from Wartburg College (Elementary Education & K-12 level I Instructional Strategist)

Years in education: First year!

Favorite thing about the first day of school?: Getting to meet all of my students.

Maddie Fank, second grade teacher

Hometown: Charles City 🙂

Educational background: I graduated from Wartburg and majored in elementary education with special education and reading endorsements.

Previous Position: I taught for two years kindergarten in Independence. Last year I taught 4-5th Special Education in Clear Lake.

Years in education: This will be my fourth year teaching.

Favorite thing about the first day of school: My favorite thing about the first day of school is meeting my students and the excitement they bring for learning. I love seeing their passion for school shine through!

Alexis Finder, K-4 vocal music (Washington & Lincoln Elementary schools)

Hometown: Tripoli, IA

Educational Background: Received my Bachelors of Music Education degree from Wartburg College in 2016

Previous Position: K-4 Music at Southeast Valley Community School District

Years in education: One year

Favorite Thing about the first day of school: My favorite thing about the first day of school is getting to meet the students and the overall excitement in the building. The energy is infectious and it is impossible not to smile.

Abby Gomez, high school chemistry and science teacher

Hometown: Riceville, IA

Educational Background: BA in Biology from Wartburg and Teaching Program through Buena Vista University

Years in Education: First year

Favorite Thing about the first day of school: Getting to know/meet my students for the upcoming year!

Holli Gorman, eighth grade mathematics teacher

Hometown: New Hampton, IA

Educational background: Wartburg College – 5-12 Math
Education major and 5-12 Spanish endorsement

Years in education: First year teacher!

Favorite thing about the first day of school?: I’m just excited to greet all of my students individually as they come into my class each period! 🙂

Michelle Grob, 7-12 TAG

Hometown:  Bloomfield, IA for the last 27 years but I grew up in Urbandale.

Educational Background:  I graduated from ISU in 1983 with a degree in elementary education/special education. “Go Cyclones!”

Years in education: I have been teaching for 29 years. Two years as a preschool teacher and assistant director. I then took a job in Davis County School District (SE Iowa). I taught seven years in the Severe and Profound classroom, then three in regular middle school classrooms (English, reading, and social studies), and the last 17 years have been in Gifted Education K-12 grades. I have also been the Speech and Drama sponsor at the high school for 10 years.

My favorite thing about the first day of school: Watching my classroom come to life as my students walk in.

Jena Hardy, middle school language arts teacher

Hometown: Fort Dodge, IA

Educational background: I have two Bachelor of Science degrees from Iowa State University: one for education and the other for social work.

Previous position: I taught 5th grade in Mason City.

Years in education: One year

Favorite thing about the first day of school?: I love the excitement from both the teachers and the students. It is a new year full of wonderful possibilities and growth.

Alyssa Kruger, eighth grade English/language arts

Hometown: Heron Lake, MN

Educational Background: I attended Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minnesota. I have a degree in both Elementary Education and Middle School English-Language Arts.

Previous Position: Last school year, I spent my first year of teaching in Lakefield, MN. I taught both 8th grade English-Language Arts and Read 180 Reading Intervention.

Favorite thing about the first day of school: My favorite thing about the first day of school is the excitement from both the staff and students. I love listening to students reconnecting with classmates and their excitement to begin the new school year!

Bethany Rhine, high school orchestra

Hometown: Melrose Park, IL

Educational background: B.S. Music Education with an Emphasis in String Pedagogy from Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown, WI

Years in education: First year!

Favorite thing about the first day of school?: I’m not quite sure yet, but I’m very excited to meet my students, and I’m very excited for the opportunities this school year will bring.

Bret Spurgin, MS/HS Vocational Agriculture

Hometown: Moravia, IA

Educational background: Graduated in 2011 from Iowa State in Agricultural and Life Sciences Education.

Previous position: Oskaloosa High School, Oskaloosa IA

Years in education: This will be my seventh year teaching.

Favorite thing about the first day of school?: Getting to meet the students!

Rachel Wolf, middle school Family and Consumer Science teacher

Hometown: Cedar Falls, IA

Educational background: Ellsworth Community College (AA in Family and Consumer Science), Iowa State University (BS in Family and Consumer Science).

Years in education: First year

Favorite thing about the first day of school?: Seeing all my friends that I did not see over the summer and making new friends.