District prepares for new school year

There’s just a month left of summer break and Crook County School District is preparing for new classes to fill the halls as the school year begins again. A number of new faces will greet the students this year as new teachers are welcomed in every building across the county.

“Our number is high this year, that’s the way it goes sometimes,” says Superintendent Mark Broderson, who says the gaps opened up for numerous reasons ranging from retirements and transfers to teachers moving out of the area.

Hulett School will welcome two new elementary teachers: Mandee Stutzman and Cheyenne Fauber.

In Sundance, Jennifer Lynn will be moving across from Moorcroft to the elementary school, where she will be joined by new teachers Chrystal Kay and Sarah Schmidt. Amber Green will be taking the role of counselor while, at the high school, Teresa Preisner will head up the music program.

In Moorcroft, Dustin Gonzalez will move across from Sundance to become the social studies teacher, Melissa Buckmiller will become the high school English and computer science teacher and Shanna Kinnick will be welcomed to the high school as a science teacher. In junior high, Devin Nicholls will take on the STEM program and Hannah Bauernfiend will be the new science teacher.

New teachers at the MK-8 will include Thea Dittman, Amanda Connally, Arlie Hulm, Emily Bishop and special education teacher Kayla Hutchinson.

Shelby Gill will also join the Central Office team as a special education assessment coordinator.

“It’s always fun to get everybody back together and start the school year. It’s an exciting time for the kids and the staff,” says Broderson.

“Everyone kind of looks forward to those first few days.”