School District 55 opens the school year with 17 new teachers and two new administrators. The following is a list of the new licensed staff members:
Larry Horton, superintendent. Mr. Horton has a doctorate degree in educational management from the University of La Verne and a BA and MA from California State at San Bernardino. Mr. Horton has 31 years in education, the last six as the superintendent of Oakridge School District.
Toby Melver, Jr. High School Vice-principal. Mr. Melver has a BA in English from Brigham Young University and a MA in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Mississippi. He taught five years in Nevada.
Yuri Samer, fifth grade teacher at Foster Elementary School. Mr. Samer has a BA from San Francisco State University and a MA in teaching from Pacific University. This will be Mr. Samer’s first teaching assignment.
Ted Drummond, first grade at Hawthorne Elementary School. Mr. Drummond has a BS in education from the University of Oregon and a MA in teaching from Pacific University. Mr. Drummond is a first year teacher.
Jeryl Lewis, second grade at Hawthorne Elementary School. Mrs. Lewis has a BS in education from Brigham Young University. Mrs. Lewis has substituted for the district for many years.
Mindy Rudisill, third-grade job share at Hawthorne Elementary School. Miss Rudisill has a BA from the University of Oregon and a MA in teaching from Pacific University. Miss Rudisill previously taught for the district in a temporary assignment.
Michelle Fournier, fifth-sixth grade at Holley. Ms. Fournier has a BS in education from Western Oregon University. Ms. Fournier is a first year teacher.
Kelly Weil, second-third grade at Oak Heights. Miss Weil has a BS from Eastern Oregon University. This will be her first teaching assignment.
Louis Dix, Language Arts/History at Sweet Home Junior High School. Mr. Dix was employed as an elementary teacher in Sweet Home for 8 years. He has spent the last two years in La Grande, Oregon as an elementary principal/teacher.
Brock Hammill, Science teacher at Sweet Home Junior High School. Mr. Hammill has a BS from Oregon State University. Mr. Hammill taught for one year in Corvallis.
Colleen Henry, Title I/Language Arts at Sweet Home Junior High School. Miss Henry has a BA in English from Warner Pacific College in Portland. Miss Henry finished last year at the Junior High in a temporary teaching assignment.
Jason Lay, Science/Social Studies at Sweet Home Junior High School. Mr. Lay has a BS in biology and a MS in science education from Oregon State University. This will be Mr. Lay’s first teaching assignment.
Martin Steinbock, Social Studies/Science at Sweet Home Junior High School. Mr. Steinbock has a MA in teaching from George Fox. Mr. Steinbock finished last year at the Junior High in a temporary teaching assignment.
Pat Davis, .5 Alternative Education/.5 Career Experience Coordinator at Sweet Home High School. Mr. Davis has a BS in history from Iowa State University and a BS in education from the University of Nebraska. Mr. Davis taught one and a half years in Nebraska.
Carl Duncan, Language Arts at Sweet Home High School. Mr. Duncan has three years teaching experience in Idaho. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in secondary education from the University of Idaho to teach History, English and Health.
Chella Gehrett, Language Arts/Study Skills at Sweet Home High School. Ms. Gehrett has a BA in English from La Grange College in Georgia. Ms. Gehrett has two years teaching experience.
James Kistner, PE/Health at Sweet Home High School. Mr. Kistner has a BS from Western Oregon University. He has 17 years experience as a teacher.
Adam Lloyd, Language Arts at Sweet Home High School. Mr. Lloyd has a Bachelor of Arts degree from U of O and a Master of Arts in teaching from Pacific University. This will be Mr. Lloyd’s first teaching assignment.
Tara Prince, Special Education/Basic Life Skills at Sweet Home High School. Mrs. Prince has a BA and a MA in teaching from Oregon State University. Mrs. Prince is a first-year teacher.
Melissa Sime, Math at Sweet Home High School. Miss Sime has a BS in Mathematics from Oregon State University and a MA in teaching from George Fox. This will be her first year teaching.
Kathleen Snyder, Art at Sweet Home High School. Miss Snyder obtained her Bachelor in Art and Master of Arts in teaching from Southern Oregon University. This will be Miss Snyder’s first teaching assignment.