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Dolores schools welcome new teachers

By Shannon Livick The Dolores Star

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Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014 8:21 PM

Jay Anderson

Age: 64

Teaching: High School and Middle School art

Background: Anderson is returning to his old job. Six years ago, he taught art in Dolores and left to be the dean of continuing education at a private school in Saudi Arabia.

Education: Doctorate in language literacy and sociocultural studies.

Hobbies: Surfing, scuba diving, landscaping and baseball.

Quote: "Art allows us the opportunity to develop our whole personality."

Jen Barry

Age: 37

Teaching: Second grade

Background: Elementary teacher for five years

Family: Two children, ages 3 and 5, and husband, Jim.

Quote: "Teaching is very rewarding. I like dressing up for the children. I get a chance to express my creative spirit with a purpose."

Emily Christenson

Age: 36

Teaching: First grade

Background: Christenson has 10 years of teaching experience. She most recently taught at Teddy Bear Preschool and fourth grade at Mesa Elementary and taught for eight years in Idaho.

Family: Two children, ages 8 and 5, and husband, Jeff.

Hobbies: Gardening and mountain biking.

Quote: "I like passing on new knowledge and getting creative with the kids and seeing their smiling faces."

Melody McNeill

Age: 26

Teaching: First grade

Background: McNeill is relatively new to the teaching field, she taught for a half of a year at Manaugh Elementary in Cortez last year. But she is excited about returning to Dolores because she grew up in Dolores and graduated from Dolores High School.

Education: Teaching degree from Fort Lewis College.

Hobbies: Hiking and going out on the lake.

Quote: "My very favorite thing about teaching is kids say very funny things and it is so fun to watch when kids realize they can do something for the first time."

Kristi Smith

Age: 37

Teaching: Fifth grade

Background: Smith taught for four years at Dolores Elementary School before taking nine years off to raise her children and start a silversmith business.

FAMILY: Two children, ages 6 and 9, and husband, Glenn.

Hobbies: Music, biking and making jewelry.

Quote: "I love the relationship between the student and teacher and helping the students grow and succeed."

Denese Brisbin

Age: 42

Assignment: School nurse

Background: Brisbin was a school nurse in Cortez for 12 years and has worked in Ohio as a nurse and at a hospital in Alaska.

EDUCATION: Registered nurse with a bachelor's in nursing.

FAMILY: A fifth-grade daughter and husband, Shane, who grew up in the area and graduated from Dolores High School.

Hobbies: Outdoors and travel.

Quote: "I've enjoyed school nursing. The schedule is great when you have children."

Chris LaRose

Age: 38

Teaching: Sixth grade science

Background: LaRose most recently taught fifth grade in Georgetown, Colo.

FAMILY: Four children and wife, Maggie.

Hobbies: Skiing, snowboarding, kayaking, rafting, reading, arts and gardening.

Quote: "I like sharing knowledge with kids."

Michael Nielson

Age: 31

Teaching: Middle School social studies

Background: Nielson is from Dove Creek and most recently taught in Grand Junction at Book Cliff Middle School. This is his second year teaching.

FAMILY: Five kids, ages 10, 7, 5, 2 and 2 months. Wife, Carisa.

Hobbies: Basketball and technology.

Quote: "I like that I get to make a difference on a daily basis when teaching."

Micah Owen

Age: 23

Teaching: Fourth grade.

Background: This is Owen's first teaching job.

Education: Owen graduated from Bluefield State College in West Virginia with a major in elementary education.

Hobbies: Traveling, skiing and hiking.

Quote: "I love kids."

Chris Powell

Age: 60

Teaching: Second grade

Background: Powell is a familiar face to many, she has worked at Dolores schools for 33 years and retired four years ago. She is filling in for Mrs. Liska, who is on maternity leave this year. Powell is excited to return.

FAMILY: Two children, both graduates of Dolores High School. Husband, Charlie.

Hobbies: Hiking, quilting, knitting and reading.

Quote: "Watching children learn to read and learn to think is so rewarding."

The first day of school for Dolores students is fast approaching. And much to the dismay of many, Aug. 18 will be here before they know it.

And while students will be getting used to new backpacks and new clothes, students will also walk into Dolores schools and see quite a few new faces.

In all, the Dolores School District hired 11 teachers and one school nurse.

Dolores School District Superintendent Scott Cooper said he is excited to see the new staff.

"They are very energetic and enthusiastic. I just hope they stay," he said.

Cooper said this year that about 20 percent of the teaching staff is new, but that turnover is a problem at schools across the nation.

As a state, Cooper said, Colorado has underfunded schools, placing the state in the bottom five for school funding. Cooper said that he lost three teachers recently to Wyoming, a state that pays teachers between $15,000 and $20,000 more a year.

"I don't think it is just this year. Over the past three years, it has been hard for teachers to stay in the game of teaching and for new teachers to come into the profession. It is very low pay for a professional with a bachelor's or sometimes a master's degree," Cooper said.

The Dolores School District pays a starting teacher $30,550 a year.

"It's a lot of stress and a lot of demands and a lot of clerical work now for teachers. They wind up pushing paper late at night instead of creating that next great lesson. And more demands are being put on them that are unfunded demands," Cooper said.

In addition to the new faces, students will have to get used to having the occasional Fridays off. This year, the district did away with the early-release Wednesdays, and teachers will have professional development time and work together on Fridays.

In total, it will be about a dozen Fridays where students will stay home, and the teaching staff will go to school for four hours of professional learning.

"We get to work intensively with these teachers without any distractions," Cooper said.

Visit www.doloresschools.org for a school calendar.

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