New Faces, New Places at Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Superintendent News & Views

New Faces, New Places at Gladbrook-Reinbeck

By David Hill,

Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

The 2017-2018 school year started on August 23, and the first nine weeks of the school year have been GREAT!  We are pleased to welcome several staff members to the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Rebel family for the 2017—2018 school year: 

Chelsey Shuey is the new 7-12 Social Studies Teacher at the Jr./Sr. High School.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Central College in Pella. After student teaching at Oskaloosa Middle School and Pella High School, she substituted for a year in the Ames and Nevada School Districts.  Ms. Shuey is pleased to have joined the Gladbrook-Reinbeck staff, stating that “everyone has been very friendly and welcoming. The climate that GR has to offer makes me excited to come to work every day!”

Jackson Anderson is the new Student Success Coordinator, operating the new alternative high school program at the high school and teaching all of the courses in that program.  Mr. Anderson previously taught Junior High Special Education at Gladbrook-Reinbeck for three years.  He is a 2014 graduate of Wartburg College, and he expects to graduate from the University of Northern Iowa in 2018 with a masters degree in Educational Leadership. 

Of the new alternative high school program, Mr. Anderson stated, “…the program serves at-risk students within the district and from neighboring school districts.  I am very excited to be putting this program into motion.  What I enjoy most about this new position are the opportunities and personalization of education that we are able to provide.  It is a great feeling to work for a school that supports all learners.”

Cecilia Shutt has also joined the G-R staff as the new K-12 Vocal Music Teacher. Ms. Shutt holds a bachelor of arts degree in Music Education from Luther College. She is new to the teaching profession, having completed her student teaching experiences at Grinnell High School and DeSoto Intermediate School this past spring.  Ms. Shutt commented that one of the reasons she loves working at Gladbrook-Reinbeck is the people, stating, “The staff and students have been very welcoming as I'm settling in.”

Hillary Smith is definitely not a new face at G-R, but she is spending part of her day in a new PLACE, as she is heading up the new Transitional Kindergarten program in addition to her duties as a special education teacher.  Ms. Smith, who previously taught in Cedar Falls and Hampton-Dumont, has a degree in elementary education with endorsements in special education and early childhood from Wartburg College. 

When asked about the new Transitional Kindergarten class, Ms. Smith commented, “I am very excited for the new position. It truly is a dream job. I am so excited to see all of the changes this year.”

Kyle Formanek has also transferred to a new position in the district. He is serving as the new Technology Coordinator and Technology Integrationist. Prior to this year, he taught at Social Studies for five years at Gladbrook-Reinbeck.  He coached wrestling for 4 years, and is currently in his 6^th year of coaching football.  

Mr. Formanek has a degree from the University of Northern Iowa in secondary social studies, and is currently working on a masters degree in administration from UNI.  His new position involves working with teachers and students on the integration of technology in the classroom, while also offering background technology support.  He stated, “My position is very different from being in the classroom but I'm hoping once things calm down to get back in the classroom and work with students again.  I am learning new programs every day and helping meet the technology needs of the staff and students in this GReat district.”

Lindy Mick is G-R’s new K-12 Teacher Librarian. She previously taught junior high literacy, middle school TAG, and freshman English at Waverly-Shell Rock. While at Waverly-Shell Rock, she also helped coach the junior high Mock Trial team, assisted in coaching girls basketball, was freshman and JV volleyball coach, and was an assistant tennis coach.  Her professional training includes degrees in psychology and sociology from Wartburg and in secondary English education from Upper Iowa. She is also currently taking courses in the school librarian program at the University of Northern Iowa. 

Ms. Mick commented that she is excited to be a part of G-R, adding that “Everyone has been extremely friendly and willing to lend a helping hand. I had so much fun during conferences hosting the Book Fair and seeing the excitement from the families as they purchased books for themselves and their classroom teachers.” 

Brandy Sealman is in her 4^th year working for G-R, but this year has transitioned to a K-12 associate position. She previously was an associate exclusively at the elementary level and prior to that was a school nurse at G-R.  Ms. Sealman attended Hawkeye Community College and received her Associate's Degree in Nursing (Registered Nurse). She has worked in many healthcare settings (nursing homes, hospitals, Hospice and school nursing).

“In my new role,” said Sealman, “I get to join the JH/HS team and get to work with more awesome staff and students.”  She stated that ever since she first started at G-R, she has loved working with the students and staff, and that she loves it just as much today. She added, “I also love how our communities are so supportive of our school district, and I am definitely proud to say that I live in a small town and have a great school to be part of!”

Paula Kelley joined G-R as a Junior High Special Education teacher in August.  She has a degree in education from Wartburg College, and she previously taught 5th grade in North Dakota, Missouri, and Riceville, and taught K-8 PE for ten years. At her various schools over the years, she has coached volleyball, softball, track, cross-country, and basketball. She is currently in her first year of being G-R’s head volleyball coach and has been G-R’s head softball coach for the past 2 seasons.

Ms. Kelley has been a frequent substitute teacher at G-R for the past two years. She is a Gladbrook-Reinbeck alumnus, graduating during the first year of G-R in 1989. She stated, “Being a G-R graduate, I was excited to come back to my roots where it all started. This is my first year teaching special education and it has been overwhelming and exciting at the same time. I am looking forward to getting to know my students and to help them become successful learners and individuals.”

Shelly Fogt is a new associate at the elementary level, primarily working with grades 1 and 4. Expressing her feelings about joining the G-R staff, Shelly said, “I feel so blessed to be part of G-R staff…Last year I helped out as a teacher associate substitute and truly enjoyed being able to help out where and when I was needed. Thank you to All the GReat staff for being so patient with me.”

Karyn Morgan is the new Elementary Secretary at Gladbrook-Reinbeck Elementary School.  Prior to her current position, Karen was an associate at the elementary and the director and preschool teacher at Crayon Corner Learning Center.  Karyn was excited to move into her new position at the elementary, stating, “I love being part of the awesome staff here at G-R and I love greeting the kids every morning.”

I’ve always believed that it is the PEOPLE that truly make a school great, and this new group of Gladbrook-Reinbeck staff has been carefully selected for the skills, abilities, and aptitudes that they will bring to our educational community. We’re excited to have these new team members on board, and I encourage everyone in our educational community to help them to feel welcome and supported in the important work that they do. Welcome, new Rebels! 

I encourage your feedback on this column, along with any questions you may have. These SUPERINTENDENT NEWS & VIEWS columns, in addition to my blog and Twitter postings, are part of my plan for open communication with the community. As a part-time superintendent that also has duties in another school district, I believe that open and clear communication is critical. If you’ve missed any of my columns or would like to re-read or share them with your friends and family, you are welcome to visit my blog at http://rebelsupt.blogspot.com/ where they are all posted. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter (@DavidRobertHill) where I will occasionally post updates or other information not found on the blog.

What’s Next for G-R?

Superintendent News & Views

What’s Next for G-R?

By David Hill, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

Ever since we learned the results of the September 12 dissolution referendum, I have been contemplating what to write in my first newspaper column after the election.

First of all, I would like to thank everyone - and that means EVERYONE - who participated in the election regardless of whether you voted yes or no.

This election yielded one of the highest voter turnout rates for any school election in recent Iowa history. Many times, when schools hold special elections for things such as a bond issue, a voter-approved PPEL, or other special circumstances - voter turnout is low and voters are uninformed.  In some of these cases, I'm not sure if it can really be said that the election results represent the true will of the citizens. However, with the high voter turnout on September 12, I believe we can truly say that the results of this election represent the will of the vast majority of the citizens of the G-R district. 

So, what’s next for G-R?  That’s a question I've heard numerous times over the last few weeks. People want to know what our priorities are now that the people have spoken and it is apparent that the district will not be dissolved. The good news is that our priorities haven’t changed…the only difference is that we can now focus on these priorities without the question of dissolution looming over us.  So, what are your superintendent’s priorities for the coming weeks, months, and years? 

First and foremost, we need to continue our focus on providing the highest quality educational experiences possible for the students who have chosen to attend Gladbrook-Reinbeck. That's our number one mandate as a public school.

While I believe G-R does an incredible job educating kids and helping them to become well-rounded citizens, it's important that we not rest on our laurels. Just as G-R’s amazing teachers, principals, coaches, and support staff have done for many years, we need to continue to be on the lookout for even better practices and programs that can help us to be even more effective in our work with students.

Secondly, we must remember that while our primary job is to serve the STUDENTS of this school district, we are also responsible to the taxpayers from ALL PARTS of the G-R district.  We must remember that when we talk about the Gladbrook-Reinbeck community, we're not talking about the towns of Gladbrook or Reinbeck specifically. The community we're talking about is the entire school district as one single entity. It’s our job to serve all students who live within those boundaries and choose to attend G-R.

When I talk about our responsibility to taxpayers, many people think I’m talking about keeping tax rates low. That’s correct, but that’s only one aspect of being responsible to the public. Another part of being responsible to the taxpayers in maintaining and protecting our investment district-owned facilities.

When residents of Morrison or Voorhies see the district investing money in facilities located in Gladbrook such as Crayon Corner, the former school building, and the athletic facilities in Gladbrook, they may wonder how they benefit from this. Conversely, people from Lincoln, Gladbrook, or the rural areas may ask how they benefit from our investment in the facilities located in Reinbeck.

Again, please remember that the district isn’t here to serve any particular town, we’re here to serve the entire school district as one single entity. Preventative maintenance and improvement of district-owned facilities will benefit ALL taxpayers in the end, as it will help us to preserve what we have and avoid more costly repairs in the future. Improved facilities also make the district a more attractive place for prospective students. Furthermore, EVERYONE benefits from having a well-trained workforce and well-rounded citizens living and working in their communities.

Additionally, we must continue our focus on the long-term financial health of the school district.  Financially speaking, the school district is in a much better place than it was just a few years ago -- and we are headed in the right direction when it comes to the district’s ability to continue meeting the needs of students for many years to come.  But again, this is not a place to rest on our laurels. 

In all of our planning and decision-making, we must constantly balance our mandate to meet the needs of our current student body with our desire for G-R to be here for the long haul.

Finally, we need to continue to work together to ensure that G-R is the kind of school that will attract students...whether that be new students moving into our district, students from other districts opting to open-enroll to G-R, or returning students who had decided to attend other area schools that may be interested in coming back to G-R. 

To those families that have decided to enroll their child in other school districts: We respect this decision, and we will continue to send the per-pupil funding to the district of your choice.  However, I want you to know that any G-R resident student who is attending another district is ALWAYS welcome to come back and become a G-R Rebel at any time. Just give us a call and we can make arrangements for your child to start at G-R next school year, next semester...or even the next day!  There is no deadline to meet and no paperwork required for returning to your resident district. Again, we will always respect your decision but please know that the door is open. 

I’m hoping that my future columns can return to the types of topics that I normally write about...educational issues, parent involvement, student achievement, lifelong learning, state politics as it relates to education, and a focus on our district’s unique programs and accomplishments. I’m also hoping to return to the pace of about one column per month! Thanks for your patience and attention over the past several months as my columns focused on dissolution-related topics. 

Feel free to join the conversation as we work together to make G-R the best school it can be.  You may leave comments on my blog at http://rebelsupt.blogspot.com and/or follow me on Twitter at @DavidRobertHill. Go Rebels!