There are 17 new teachers and one dean of students joining the Annandale School District for the 2018-19 school year. Nine will be teaching at Annandale Elementary, five at Annandale Middle School and two teachers and a dean of students at Annandale High School.
AHS
Joy Turner
School/position: AHS Dean of Students
Hometown: Calmar, Iowa
High School: South Winneshiek High School, Calmar Iowa
School Activities: Band, choir and theater
College: University of Northwestern B.A. Communication Arts and Literature education 2001; St. Mary’s University, Minnesota, M.A. Education 2007; Moorhead State University, Educational Specialist 2018.
Experience: 15 years experience serving at-risk youth. wRight Choice, Buffalo, 2014-18; Phoenix Learning Center, Buffalo, English and Social Studies teacher, 2005-14; Wayzata High School, Communication Arts and Literature teacher, 2001-2005.
Accomplishments: Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs 2011 Teacher of the Year Award; grant writer and recipient of $50,000 for wRight Choice-Backpack Buddies; Humphrey School of Local Government 2015 Innovation Award;
Family: Married to Luke Turner and four boys Isaiah, Josiah, Elijah and Zechariah.
"Football, wrestling, dirt and bugs are just a few things that catch our interest when we are together," Turner said. "One can never have enough frogs or grasshoppers, don’t you know?"
Quote: "I decided to become an educator because the single most influential person in my life is a teacher-administrator, my dad," Turner said. "My dad made each student feel like he-she was the only one in the classroom and he encouraged every student to give their best.
"I hope that I can be half the educator he was."
Scott Paa
School/position: AHS, mathematics teacher.
College: Minnesota State University, Mankato Minnesota. B.S. secondary mathematics, 2013. St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, Winona; Master’s in Education – Educational Leadership, 2018.
Experience: Dawson-Boyd High School, Dawson, Minnesota. Seventh, 8th and 11th grade math teacher 2013-18. Reach program instructor, 2017-18; student council faculty advisor 2014-18.
Other experience: volunteer basketball coach and varsity-junior high golf coach at Dawson-Boyd Senior High. Youth golf instructor at Montivideo Community Recreation and the New Ulm Country Club.
Calli Johnson
School/position: AMS and AHS – World Cultures 6th grade, Spanish Exploration 8th grade at AMS and Spanish I at AHS.
Hometown: Isanti Minnesota
High school: Cambridge-Isanti High School.
High school activities: volleyball
College: University of Minnesota, Duluth. Bachelor of Applied Arts, Spanish Education and Hispanic Studies 2017; Anoka-Ramsey Community College, A.A. Degree 2015.
College activities: intramural volleyball, softball and broom ball. Studied abroad in Granada, Spain while a student at UMD. Family outreach chair – Love Your Melon UMD Campus Crew 2016-17; president, Spanish club Anoka-Ramsey 2014-15.
Mentor-coordinator Youth First, Braham-Chisago-North Branch School District.
Accomplishments: Outstanding Spanish student Anoka-Ramsey Community College 2013-14
Experience: Johnson did her student teaching at Wrenshall School, Wrenshall, Minnesota and Lowell Elementary in Duluth Minnesota 2017.
Family: Johnson’s parents live in Isanti and she has two brothers, ages 22 and five. Her fiance will be a student teacher this year at AHS.
Quote: "I have always loved Spanish and working with kids, but it wasnt until I attended Anoka-Ramsey Community College that I decided I wanted to be a Spanish teacher," Johnson said. "I had the best Spanish teacher, who truly never gave up on me, pushed me to see my potential and believed that I could be a great teacher."
AMS
Lucas GarciaSilva
School/position: Developmental Adapted Physical Education (DAPE) teacher in all three schools, 6th and 7th grade PE and a Unified PE class at the AHS.
Hometown: GarciaSilva was born in Sweden and lived in New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Most of his childhood was spent in the northern suburbs of Chicago.
High School: Badger High School, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Activities: football, basketball, hockey and baseball.
College: St. Cloud State University, B.S. Physical education, athletic training and developmental adapted physical education.
Experience: Delano Elementary DAPE and physical education teacher 2017-18; Spectrum High School, Elk River, DAPE and physical education teacher, assistant softball coach, 2015-17; St. Michael-Albertville Middle School Special Education and DAPE teacher 2014-15; Nobles County Integration Collaborative, Worthington Minnesota, youth development leader; Round Lake-Brewster School District, Brewster Minnesota; bilingual liaison, CE director, transportation director, junior basketball and softball coach.
Family: Garcia Silva has been married for 16 years and has four boys, ages eight, six, four and two.
Quote: "Having moved to the United States at a young age and not being fluent in English, has given me a passion to work with the next generation," GarciaSilva said.
Sayde Anderson
School/position: AMS 7th grade life science and 8th grade earth science.
Hometown: Wadena, Minnesota
High School: Wadena-Deer Creek High School.
School Activities: Just for Kix dance team, cheerleading, Business Professionals of America, National Honor Society, Students Against Destructive Decisions and Yearbook.
In college she served on the Campus Activities Board Anderson was the Student Education Association president and treasurer.
College: College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, Minnesota, B.A. in Biology and Secondary Education, 2017. Life Sciences 5-12 licensure.
Experience: Substitute teacher, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools, 2017-18. Student teacher Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, 2017; physics teaching assistant, College of St. Scholastica
Accomplishments: Recipient of the Robert Noyce Scholarship for her dedication of becoming a STEM teacher in high need local education agencies.
Became a distinguished Apple Educator integrating the proper use of Apple applications, Schoology and Skyward management systems.
Family: Anderson’s parents still live in the Wadena area. Her older brother Dylan lives in Atlanta, Georgia and is a private charter pilot.
"I have an amazing fiance, Josh, who is a mechanical designer at J-Berd Mechanical in St. Cloud," Anderson said. "My family also has three loving dogs who can melt anyone’s heart. Two red dobermans and mini-dachshund.
Quote: "After shadowing my favorite teacher in high school, I realized how important of a role each teacher plays in students’ lives," Anderson said. "I have always had a passion for learning and I knew choosing a career in education would allow me to be a lifelong learner and share my passions with others.
"I strive to be a teacher who makes each student feel at home within my classroom, like each of my teachers did for me."
Emily Unger Elston
School/position: AMS social studies teacher, 6th grade.
Hometown: Annandale
High School: Annandale High School 1999
Activities: At AHS Elston ran track and cross country and played basketball. She also played trombone in the band.
College: Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota B.A. Elementary Education, emphasis in social studies, 2002; St Mary’s University, Minnesota M.A. Education, 2011.
Experience: Fifteen years teaching experience. Winfair Elementary, Windom, Minnesota, 3rd grade teacher, 2014-2018; Fairview Elementary Mora, Minnesota, kindergarten, 5th grade and preschool teacher 2008-14; Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop Elementary, Gibbon, Minnesota, kindergarten, 2nd grade and Title One teacher, 2006-2008; Cokato Elementary Cokato, Minnesota 3rd grade teacher 2003-2006.
Accomplishments: Social studies chair, grade level chair.
Family: Elston’s husband Chad is also a teacher and they have four children Brock 11, Molly 9, Evan 4 and Drew 9 months.
Quote: "As an Annandale High School graduate, I am eager for the opportunity to return to my community," Elston said. "I have had the privilege of benefiting from the strong sense of passion that the Annandale School District has for the education of their students and would be honored to become a part of this district.
"I am extremely enthusiastic and prepared to mold Annandale’s middle school students into self-confident, cooperative and academically prepared members of the school community."
Laurie Klippenes
School/position: AMS, 8th grade mathematics
Hometown: Lustre, Montana
High school: Lustre Christian High School, Lustre Montana.
High school activities: basketball, volleyball and musical ensembles.
College: Northwestern College, St. Paul, Minnesota; B.S. Education. St. Mary’s University, Minneapolis, Minnesota M.A. Education.
College activities: basketball, womens’ chorale and the handbell choir.
Experience: Long and short term substitute positions in Annandale, Mounds View, and Anoka-Hennepin school districts 2014-16; Centennial Middle School, Centennnial Minnesota, mathematics teacher 1999-2005; Summer Academy for High Potential Students, Columbia Heights 2004-2005 and 2012-2016. Basketball coach, girls AAU, school league and community education programs.
Family: Klippenes is married to Jon, Annandale Elementary School principal. They have three daughters Molly, 8th grade, Mariah 6th grade and Megan 4th grade. The family lives in South Haven.
Quote: "I was inspired to become a teacher in junior high, after seeing the difference the amazing Mrs. Unrau made with our class, Klippenes said."
Jake Tangren
School/position: AMS, 8th grade communications teacher.
Hometown: Champlin Park, Minnesota
High school: Champlin Park High School, Hawley, Minnesota 2013.
High school activities: Tangren did not have much time for extra curricular activities during high school or college, as he held full time jobs. He did however enjoy in his spare time fishing, hunting and camping.
College: St. Cloud State University 2012. B.S. Communication arts and literature. North Hennepin Community College, A.A. degree.
Experience: Isle High School, Isle Minnesota 2014-18. Taught communications, world literature, creative writing, American literature, Literature of War, Critical reading and writing, competitive one-act play director, after school tutor, MAAP advisor and prom planning.
Long and short-term substitute teacher, St. Francis School District 2013-14.
Assistant director of two plays with community theater 2016; Counselor Niigaan’s summer day camp for at risk youth.
Family: "My mom is a special education teacher, , my dad is probably the coolest mechanic around, my brother is an EMT and I have a pitbull named Ajax, the Greek warrior and not the soap."
Quote: "Language arts is my chosen discipline because I love the variety of skills it allows me to teach, Tangren said. "Rhetoric, writing, critical reading, critical thinking, public speaking, vocabulary and grammar are skills that are necessary for students to be successful in all of their classes and will benefit them in the future endeavors."
Noah Voigt
School/position: AMS, social studies teacher.
High school activities: football, baseball and wrestling. Two year captain for the wrestling team.
College: College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University, B.A. Social Studies and Secondary Education. 2018
College activities: captain and two-year starter for St. John’s University football team.
Experience: Apollo High School, Sartell High School and Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, student teaching, 2017.
St. Cloud Tech High School, wrestling coach 2014-16; baseball coach ages 13-15, St. Augusta; volleyball coach, Sauk Rapids 2018.
Kaitlyn Holleman
School/position: AES and AMS music teacher.
Hometown: Hawley, Minnesota
High school: Hawley High School, 2013.
High school activities: volleyball, spring musical, one act play, show choir, blues band, jazz band, National Honor Society, Knowledge Bowl, Close-Up and Science Olympiad.
College: University of North Dakota, Grand Forks B.A. K-12 Music Education and K-12 Vocal Music, 2018.
College activities: Opera, concert choir and master choral.
Experience: Ben Franklin Middle School, Fargo North Dakota, part-time music teacher, spring 2018
Family: Holleman is the daughter of Allen and Diane, she has two brothers Jacob and Jordan and a dog Sophie.
Quote: "From a young age I knew I wanted to work along side children to help them grow into themselves," Holleman said. "Seeing kids work through their academic and personal struggles to become better people is such a rewarding way to spend a day.
"Ultimately, I strive to provide students the opportunities to express their curiosity and creativity through the structure of music in a fun and functional way.
AES
Gabrielle Becker
School/position: AES teacher special education autism (ASD)
Hometown: St. Cloud, Minnesota
High School: Apollo High School,
School activities: orchestra (violin), volleyball, theater and student council.
College: Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota B.A. Elementary Education, emphasis in communication arts and literature, 2009; St. Cloud State University, graduate certificate Early childhood special education birth-age 6. Licensures for Early childhood special education and Communication arts and literature grades K-6.
College activities: orchestra and outreach ministry.
Experience: ECSE inclusion co-teacher, Madison Elementary, St. Cloud Minnesota 2017-18; lead teacher ECFE, Albert Lea Area Schools, Albert Lea, Minnesota 2016; lead teacher ECFE Landis Elementary, Landis North Carolina, 2015; teacher candidate Colt’s Academy, St. Joseph Minnesota, early intervention birth-3 years, 2014; teacher candidate Foley Elementary, Foley Minnesota 2013-14.
Accomplishments: scholar member of Concordia College Orchestra, four years.
Family: Married to Alex Becker, an associate pastor at Annandale’s St. John’s Lutheran Church. The Beckers make their home in Annandale and have two daughters Ellie, five and Isabelle, one.
Quote: "The most life altering lessons I have learned during my time as a teacher and mother have been in response to watching others recognize their value in the midst of obstacles," Becker said. "While school can be a place of excitement and discovery, for some this time is consistently stressful and better described as an uphill battle in search of meaning.
"As a special education teacher I strive to ensuring that my presence and lessons begin with each student’s already existing skills and worth."
Adam Fleischacker
School/position: AES K-5 special education teacher, developmental cognitive disorders (DCD).
Hometown: Annandale
High School: Annandale High School 2014
School Activities: Fleischacker played baseball and served as a varsity basketball manager at AHS.
College: Minnesota State University, Mankato. Special education undergraduate program academic and behavioral strategist licensure 2018.
Experience: Harry Meyering Center, Mankato Minnesota 2015-18; True Friends, Annandale Minnesota, 2012-15.
He worked the last three weeks of school at AES May, 2018.
"I really enjoyed the experience," Fleischacker said. "It was a great opportunity to get comfortable with the school and get to know some of the great staff at AES."
Accomplishments: Annandale Board of Education Scholarship recipient 2014; Evelyn Carlson Special Education Endowed Scholarship, 2016; Dale and Wilma Johnson Presidential Endowment Scholarship 2017; Fundraising coordinator for the Council for Exceptional Children, Mankato Minnesota.
Family: Parents are Scott and Lori Fleischacker of Annandale. Brother Sam is a 2018 graduate of AHS and is attending Minnesota State University, Mankato this coming year.
Quote: "Throughout my schooling I have always had a deep respect for teachers," Fleischacker said. "I believe teachers are a major part of any community.
"It was when I started working at Camp Friendship that I began seeing a future in special education. The relationships that I made there guided me to pursue special education as a career.
"Returning to Annandale schools to teach became a goal of mine while at college. I feel very lucky to be a part of the Annandale School District."
Kiley Hoese
School/position: AES Early Childhood Special Education teacher.
Hometown: Mayer, Minnesota
High School: Watertown-Mayer High School
College: St. Cloud State University B.S. elementary education K-6, 2018
Family: Hoese recently married Beau Schmidt and they have built a house in Howard Lake, Minnesota.
Quote: "I have a passion for working with students," Hoese said. "I believe that I am an effective teacher and am more than willing to accept all the duties associated with the teaching profession.
Laurie Jarvis
School/position: AES special education development cogitative delays (DCD) teacher.
Hometown: Hinckley, Minnesota
High school: Hinckley-Finlayson High School 1991
High school activities: volleyball, basketball, softball, track and student government.
College: St. Cloud State University B.S. Elementary education 1996; St. Mary’s University in 2001 with a M.A. in Curriculum and instruction; St. Cloud State University in 2013 with a Master’s Degree in Special Education.
Experience: Jarvis has 22 years of teaching experience. Kimball Elementary general education and lead special ed DCD teacher 1998-2018; St. Augustine Elementary School teaching grades 1-6. 1996-98
Family: Jarvis and her family are new residents to Annandale. She has three sons: Drew, 17, Chase, 16, and Ty, 14. All three attend Kimball High School.
Interests: Jarvis enjoy spending time watching her boys play sports, riding bike, working out, kayaking, canoeing, reading and enjoying a campfire.
Quote: "My love for learning and the enjoyment I have when encountering new experiences, has lead me to my career in teaching," Jarvis said.
Natalie Newman
School-position: AES, Technology-Literacy-Integration Specialist.
Hometown: Morrill, Minnesota
High school: Foley High School 2001
High school activities: cross country, basketball and softball.
College: St. Cloud State University, B.S. Elementary Education 2005. Graduated magna cum Laude and dean’s list 2002-05. St. Mary’s University, Winona Minnesota, reading licensure 2009.
Experience: Foley Public Schools, 5th grade classroom teacher, 2014-18; Seventh and 8th grade reading teacher 2007-11.
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Public Schools 3rd grade teacher; 2011-12.
Additional experience: varsity softball coach, 2007-08; JV basketball coach, 2007-10; 9th grade softball coach, 2008-09; 4th – 8th grade after-school basic skills facilitator.
Family: Newman is married, lives in Maple Lake and has three children who will be attending Annandale schools this fall.
Jessica Ninnemann
School-position: AES, 1st grade
Hometown: St. Cloud, Minnesota
High school: St. Cloud Tech, 2014
High school activities: hockey
College: St. Cloud State University, B.S. Elementary Education 2018
Experience: Annandale Elementary, student teacher 1st grade 2017-18; Foley Intermediate School, 4th grade field experience 2017.
Quote: "Over the past year I have grown to love the community of Annandale," Ninnemann said. "I was fortunate to have been invited to student teach in first grade with Ashley Hanson at Annandale Elementary for the complete 2017-18 school year.
"I appreciate the CARES values that get instilled into each student at the school everyday."
Joseph Miller
School/position: AES 2nd grade
Hometown: Waverly, Iowa
High school: Waverly-Shell Rock High School
High school activities: football and baseball
College: Luther College, Decorah, Iowa; B.A. Elementary education, K-8 reading endorsement; math concentration. 2016
College activities: Baseball
Experience: West Fork Community School District, Sheffield, Iowa; first grade teacher 2016-18.
Head junior high football coach, North Butler Community School District 2015-16. Assistant varsity baseball coach, North Butler Community School District 2012-17.
Family: Miller has three sisters and two brothers. One of his sisters and his father are also teachers.
Quote: "I decided to become a teacher after my dad went back to school to become one," Miller said. "I saw how much he loved working with kids and then he helped get me into the coaching role that opened up my eyes to teaching young athletes."
Samantha Statz
School/position: AES, 1st grade
Hometown: Princeton, Minnesota
High school: Princeton High School
College: St. Cloud State University, B.S. Elementary Education, summa cum laude, 2015
Experience: Princeton Primary School, Princeton, Minnesota, first grade teacher, 2015-18; technology coach 2015-18; targeted services coordinator, 2016-17
Family: Statz has a mom and dad and a younger brother. She loves to read, kayaking,spending time with loved ones and lots of sports.
Quote: "I just love teaching and being able to make a difference in kids lives," Statz said. "Teaching kids and instilling a love for reading, math and writing makes teaching the most amazing job in the world. I could not dream of doing anything else."
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