Connie Small<br><br>Teaching: Fourth grade<br><br>Background in teaching: Worked as a substitute teacher in the Mancos District since 2004<br><br>Education: Fort Lewis<br><br>Hometown: Farmington<br><br>Why are you happy to join the staff: "The school district is family oriented and positive."
Drew Pearson<br><br>Teaching: Elementary PE and Gifted and Talented<br><br>Background in teaching: Check and connect mentor at Cortez Middle School, teacher at Manaugh Elementary, administrative support<br><br>Education: Degree in religion and theology from Wayland Baptist University, master's in elementary education from Liberty University<br><br>Hometown: Cortez<br><br>Goals for the year: "To see the GT program continue to build."
Holly Figueroa<br><br>Teaching: Title I Reading Specialist<br><br>Background in teaching: 10 years at Park Elemetary in Durango<br><br>Education: Mesa State, Grand Junction, master's in reading from Regis University<br><br>Hometown: Mancos<br><br>Favorite thing about teaching: "My passion is teaching reading, so I'm really looking forward to working with Mancos students in literacy."
Kaitlin Ludwick<br><br>Teaching: Kindergarten<br><br>Background in teaching: Full-time substitute for six months<br><br>Education: Fort Lewis College<br><br>Hometown: Houston<br><br>Favorite thing about teaching: "You catch yourself smiling, and you're not sure why and then you remember a moment in the day."
Liza Eschallier<br><br>Teaching: Second grade <br><br>Background in teaching: Two years at Mesa Elementary in Cortez<br><br>Education: University of Connecticut and the University of Colorado in Denver<br><br>Hometown: Woodbury, Calif.<br><br>Favorite thing about teaching: "I enjoy getting kids excited about learning and watching them grow every day."
Martha Endres<br><br>Teaching: English language learners<br><br>Background in teaching: Ran a day care and preschool for 7 years in Durango, substitute taught for one year<br><br>Education: Fort Lewis College, master's of curriculum and instruction at University of Phoenix<br><br>Hometown: Rico<br><br>Goals for the year: "My goal is to learn my job and get to know the members of the community."
Amanda Wyman<br><br>Teaching: Special Education para-professional <br><br>Background in teaching: First year as a para-professional<br><br>Hometown: Mancos<br><br>What lead you to join the staff: "I had wanted to work at the school, I had three kids at the school."
Cathy Epps<br><br>Position: Elementary Principal<br><br>Background: 20 years in education, starting 11th year in Re-6<br><br>Education: Bachelor's in elementary education and all areas of special education, master's in bilingual and multi-cultural education for Northern Arizona University<br><br>Hometown: Phoenix<br><br>Goals for the year: "To really build upon peer coaching systems for professional development."
Adam Priestley<br><br>Position: Principal, grades 6-12<br><br>Background: Two years middle and high school science, five years in exceptional student services<br><br>Education: Fort Lewis College, master's in special education at Grand Canyon University, master's in educational leadership at Western Governors University<br><br>Hometown: Norwood<br><br>Goals for the year: "To come together as parents, teachers and administration to find a way to start moving up toward high academic skills."
Laura Prow<br><br>Teaching: High school Spanish, English II, yoga and drama<br><br>Background: Two years in Flagstaff, Ariz.; two years in the Peace Corps<br><br>Education: Fort Lewis College, master's from Northern Arizona University<br><br>Hometown: Northborough, Mass.<br><br>Favorite thing about teaching: "I love empowering the students."
New school staff members, including seven teachers, greeted students Tuesday, the first day of classes in Mancos.
Superintendent Brian Hanson was happy to report less turnover than last year, when the district hired 13 teachers. He attributed the change to proactive mentoring by lead teachers in all the schools.
"It helped dramatically," he said.
The middle and high school had almost full retention with the exception of Amy Morrison, the high school Spanish and drama teacher.
One of the lead teachers for the high school, Cathrine Prenot, said she worked to create an environment where the teachers were supported.
"They knew their work was valued," she said.
The lead teacher roles will be maintained, but they will be scaled back now that Adam Priestley has started as the middle and high school principal. She said the lead teachers would be focusing on professional development and would not have as many administrative duties.
The one role that the district did struggle to fill was the school nurse position, Hanson said.
A licensed practical nurse was hired to fill the role at the last minute. The district did not get any applicants when it advertised for an registered nurse. The lack of an attractive salary was identified at the July board meeting as the main problem.
At Monday night's school board meeting, Hanson said that an LPN would be able to complete all the duties of a registered nurse except signing off on the health care plans that go with an Individualized Education Program for special-education students.
Hanson said the LPN may be able to write the plans and have them approved by registered nurses in the Durango school district.
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