Your source for news in Hot Springs County

Welcome new teachers at TMS and HSCHS

Hot Springs County School District #1 welcomed a number of new teachers for the 2017-18 school year. New teachers at Ralph Witters Elementary were featured in the August 24 edition of the Independent Record. This week, we are featuring new teachers at Thermopolis Middle School and Hot Springs County High School.

Ayni McGee

At Thermopolis Middle School, Ayni McGee will be leading the sixth grade students.

McGee graduated from high school in Worland in 2013, then earned her bachelor's in Elementary Education from University of Wyoming in 2017. She became interested in teaching because her family is in education. She noted her father is the high school English teacher.

McGee thought about going various routes in terms of a job, but decided teaching would provide the most opportunity. As for the decision to teach in Thermopolis, the position allows her to remain close to Worland, where she grew up. She's also an avid fan of the outdoors.

She also enjoys the spirit of the school district, stating that it is highly competitive and creative, and the staff work to do what's best for the students. She's looking to get more involved in knowing the teachers, the kids and everyone, and getting into the school year itself.

Drew Brown

Students with an interest in music are sure to enjoy the energy and smiles Drew Brown brings to the classroom.

A graduate of Corvallis High School in Montana, Brown attended Northwest College, studying Music Technology and Music Performance, before going to the University of Wyoming an earning his bachelor's in Music Education.

Brown became interested in teaching music due to his mother being a high school band and choir coach. He said it's a lot of fun because he gets to come to work and play music with students, allowing him to continue "preaching the passion."

Wyoming was already a draw in where he wanted to teach. As for Thermopolis, he said there is a strong tradition of music here, and it's ingrained in the culture. He also recalled having the opportunity to listen to the Thermopolis ensembles at districts, when he was student teaching in Powell.

"The kids here are so nice," Brown said, and their level of respect is phenomenal. On top of that, he said they're plenty eager to learn and "chomping at the bit."

Brown considers himself a music nerd, but also enjoys fly fishing, hiking, camping and spending time with the dogs, his cat and his girlfriend.

Jessie Ream

Jessie Ream really isn't a new face in the district, but she is a new face at Hot Springs County High School.

Ream previously worked as a paraprofessional at Ralph Witters Elementary for three years after she and her husband, Tom and their two children moved to Thermopolis. Prior to coming here, she had her own pre-school in Douglas. She also taught art in Round Up, Mont., once her children were of school age.

The move to Thermopolis was the first one she and her family had made because they wanted to, rather than for work.

"We used to visit Thermopolis a lot," she said. "We even bought a house here, out on Red Lane, and would come visit every chance we got. Then we had the opportunity to make it a full time move."

Ream is now working with 9-12 grade students at the high school as part of the Special Education Department and loving it.

She is currently working toward her Masters Degree through Black Hills State.

When not teaching, she and her huband and two sons, Jack (14) and Simon (12), manage their vacation properties, their chickens and goats.

"When I'm not teaching, I'm cleaning," she laughed. "It is so fun meeting all the people."

Jocelyn Hatch

New high school math teacher Jocelyn Hatch comes to us from Kersey, Colo., where she taught in the Platte Valley School before coming to Thermopolis.

Hatch received her degree from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

Her husband, Kyle, is originally from Laramie and wanted to get back to Wyoming.

She said she has wanted to be a teacher since she was in middle school and found a love for math. Here, she will be teaching geometry, honors algebra 2 and algebra 1.

"I love helping people learn new things," she said. "There's nothing quite like seeing that lightbulb turn on for the first time."

While she and her husband have no children yet, their family consists of cows, goats and dogs. They are currently trying to sell their Colorado property and are looking to find a country house here in Hot Springs County.

Kate Decker

Hot Springs County High School has a new instructor for Junior English and Junior Honors English, Kate Decker.

Decker received her BA and Masters at Regis University in Denver and has taught in Cheyenne for the last seven or eight years.

A Colorado native, her husband is originally from Worland, so the couple are living there while she drives back and forth to teach. Her husband is part owner of Tractor Guys in Worland.

"This was a chance for a much slower pace," Decker said. "We lived in Cheyenne for 16 years and it is so much more beautiful here. Its nice to be back in the mountains.

"At my last school there were 1,200 students. I really feel I can make more of an impact at a smaller school. I really like high school kids."

Decker and her husband have three children, a 12-year old in seventh grade, a 10-year old in fourth grade and a stepdaughter, 18, who is starting her freshman year at Northwest College in Powell.

Mitchell Baker

One of the most excited teachers to grace the halls of Hot Springs County High School is new social studies teacher, Mitchell Baker.

Baker graduated from Dubois High School as a three sport athlete before attending Casper College and moving on to the University of Wyoming where he got his degree.

He spent his student teaching time in Casper at CY Middle School and said, "Sixth graders are great. That was one of the hardest good-byes I've had to do."

But Thermopolis was on the radar for where he wanted to be as he is all about the Wyoming life. He loves anything in the mountains, hunting, fishing and shed hunting, which is obvious from the sheds he has in his classroom.

"This was my dream destination," Baker said. "Its just perfect here. I can see myself staying here a very long time.

"It really was kind of a miracle. I had figured I would take a year off while searching for a position and this opportunity came up and I fell into it within a week."

Baker said he is ready to experience all Thermop has to offer and is excited to see the direction the school is headed in and added the staff is excellent.

Baker will also be the middle school basketball assistant coach.

Noni Weber

Another new face at Hot Springs County High School is Noni Weber who will be teaching both sophomore and senior English as well as year book this year.

Originally from Lusk, Weber grew up on a ranch and attended college at Black Hills State.

She came into education after having her children and working a number of other jobs including working for the National High School Rodeo, was a superintendent's secretary and even worked in corrections before getting her teaching degree.

"I think that tells people its never too late," she said. "Its never to late to go back. You can improve your education at any age."

Weber had taught at the middle school here previously then went to Worland to teach. She said she is thrilled to be back here.

"The kids are just wonderful," she said.

She and her husband, Todd, are very family oriented. They have a grown son working at a ranch in Douglas and a daughter who is a sophomore here at HSCHS.

Weber believes every student can achieve at a high level.

"They just have to find their thing," she said.

Trey Ottley

The new social studies and English teacher at Hot Springs County High School, Trey Ottley, came to Thermopolis after working last year in the Star Valley and Jackson area.

Ottley lived in Evanston as a child before his family moved to Nebraska. He attended University of Nebraska games, but always wore his Wyoming Cowboys gear, missing the mountains of his home state.

While in Nebraska, Ottley directed a youth ministry before starting to look for an opportunity to teach.

He and his wife, Laura, have two children, Aspen, who is four, and Owen who is two.

"I really like connecting with kids," he said. "And I love the outdoor life – hiking, fly fishing, floating the river. In Star Valley I really loved the Salt River."

Ottley will be helping coach the wrestling team, having six years of experience doing wrestling in Nebraska.

Todd Weber

Todd Weber is one of the new faces in the Special Education Department this year at Hot Springs County High School.

Originally from Northglenn, Colo., Weber attended Adams State before getting his special education endorsement from Black Hills State.

He and his wife, Noni, who is a new English teacher at the high school, have two children, a grown son in Douglas and a daughter who is a sophomore this year at HSCHS.

Weber taught in Douglas for nine years before going to Worland where he taught and coached football for two years.

"I'm excited to be here," he said. "My daughter is really excited, too. I'm working on learning a new system here. Its kind of a learning curve."

When he's not in the classroom, he loves being outdoors, especially fishing and bird hunting.

 

Reader Comments(0)