It’s a year of change for Maple Lake’s schools as 12 new teachers are joining the staff at Maple Lake Public Schools and St. Timothy School.
And that number doesn’t include new Elementary Principal Kris Harlan, a former sixth grade teacher in Delano who was selected from a field of more than 70 candidates to replace Dan Olberg.
The new teachers are:
Jen Griffin, who will be teaching sixth grade at Maple Lake Elementary. Griffin is originally from Lakeville and now lives in Monticello. She received her degree in Elementary Education from St. Cloud State and served for the past two years in the Learners at Risk program at Maple Lake High School. She also spent one year team-teaching in fifth grade at Cold Spring Elementary. Griffin’s interests include reading, antiquing, crafts and running. And for the moment, her family consists of her parents, who live in Lakeville. But the family will expand when she gets married in Jamaica over spring break next year.
Beth Haglin, who will be teaching third grade at Maple Lake Elementary. Haglin is originally from North Branch and is married to Dan Haglin, the son of Greg and Lucy Haglin of Maple Lake. She received her degree in Elementary Education from Concordia College in Moorhead and taught sixth and seventh grade in North Pole, Alaska, during the 2001-2002 school year. She served as a substitute in Maple Lake during the 2002-2003 school year and was a half-time kindergarten teacher last year. Haglin’s hobbies and interests include scrapbooking, tennis, and working at the Grindstone Lake Bible Camp during the summers.
Heidi Herweyer, who will teach kindergarten at Maple Lake Elementary. Herweyer is from Maple Grove and obtained a degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Wisconsin, Stout. She did her student teaching in the Chaska school district and gained experience as both a kindergarten and third grade teacher. In addition, she worked with preschool students at the St. David’s Child Development Center. Herweyer’s interests include scrapbooking, playing tennis and rollerblading. However, her spare time this year will be directed at planning her wedding, scheduled for June of 2005.
Andrea Hoepner will be a Special Education teacher at Maple Lake Elementary. She is originally from Echo, Minnesota, and currently lives in Sauk Rapids with her roommate and best friend, Jill. Hoepner received her BS in Special Education with a Psychology minor from St. Cloud State in December and served as a long-term substitute for both elementary and ninth grade special education in the Chaska School District. Hoepner’s interests include reading, watching movies, shopping, traveling and spending time with friends and family.
Tim Knudsen, who will teach high school Physical Education. Knudsen is originally from Burlingame, California, and is a current resident of St. Joseph, where he lives with his wife, Mary, and children, Samantha, 13, Cameron, 11, Sydney, 9, and Summer, 7. Knudsen received his degree from St. Cloud State and was a football coach and physical education teacher at St. Cloud Apollo from 1994 to 1999; teacher, head football coach and assistant baseball coach at St. Cloud Cathedral from 1999-2001; and teacher, head football coach and head baseball coach at St. Cloud Apollo from 2001-2004. In Maple Lake, Knudsen will serve as head football and softball coach. His interests include golf, movies, walking and spending time with his family and friends.
Steve Kosloski, who will teach high school Social Studies. Kosloski is originally from Mosinee, Wisconsin, and earned his BS in Social Studies Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. His family consists of his parents, a brother, three sisters, and special friend of four years, Kelly Kuennen. In addition to his teaching duties, Kosloski will rely on his background as an NCAA Division II national wrestling qualifier to coach junior high wrestling and will also coach junior high football. Kosloski’s hobbies and interests include fishing, camping, biking, spending time with friends and family, Packers’ football and Brewers’ baseball.
Karen Lien will serve as a Speech-Language Pathologist for the Maple Lake School District. She received a BS degree from Southwest Missouri State, an MS from the University of North Texas and served as a Speech-Language Pathologist at the Turner School District in Kansas City for seven years. Lien is from Overland Park, Kansas, and she currently lives with her husband, Dave, in Clear Lake. Dave Lien is employed as an engineer at the power plant in Becker. The Lien family also includes their black lab, Freya. Lien’s hobbies include reading, tennis, exercising, and sightseeing since she is new to Minnesota.
Becky Nies will serve as a Special Education teacher at Maple Lake Elementary. She received her BS in Elementary Education and an MS in Special Education from St. Cloud State. Her past experience includes three long-term substitute positions in the Buffalo School District and a graduate assistantship at St. Cloud State during the previous school year. Nies is originally from Madison, Wisconsin, and now lives in Maple Lake with her husband, Sean, and stepdaughter, Tira. Her interests include traveling and reading.
Jackie Reinke will teach morning kindergarten at Maple Lake Elementary and serve as a Title 1 instructor at St. Timothy’s in the afternoons. Reinke lives in Buffalo but originally comes from Vermillion, South Dakota. Her family includes her parents, Bob and Diane, two older sisters, and her dog, Tuffy. She earned her degree in Elementary Education from Southwest Minnesota State and served as a student teacher and substitute teacher in Aitkin. In her free time, Reinke enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time at her cabin with her family and friends.
Nicole Ross will be teaching a fourth grade class in the morning and will serve as a Title 1 teacher in the afternoons. Ross is from Monticello and is the daughter of Dave and Debbie Ross. She earned her degree in Elementary Education from Bemidji State and completed her student teaching in St. Paul. During the 2003-2004 school year, she served as a substitute in Maple Lake, St. Michael-Albertville, Big Lake and Monticello. Her hobbies and interests include running, rollerblading, and coaching youth soccer.
Stacie Schneider will be teaching second grade at Maple Lake Elementary. Schneider is from Kimball and received her degree in Elementary Education from St. Cloud State. And she is no stranger to Maple Lake, having served as a long-term substitute last year in first grade for teacher Dana Luc. Schneider is a member of the elementary’s Sunshine group and is excited to be coming back to Maple Lake. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Maple Lake Elementary staff,” she said. Schneider was married in March of this year to her husband, Dan, and enjoys being outside, cleaning, and spending time with her husband and their families.
Cari Senger will teach physical education at St. Timothy School. Senger is a native of Park Rapids and graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead with a degree in Physical Education/Corporate Fitness and she has worked as a certified fitness instructor for the past 14 years. Senger lives in Buffalo with husband, Steve, nine-year-old son, Jason, eight-year-old son, Jonathan, and six-year-old daughter, Autumn. Steve works for Charter Communications in Buffalo and the Senger children attend St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Buffalo. Senger’s interests include sports, outdoor activities and spending time with her family. And she said she is also looking forward to spending time in Maple Lake. “I’m very excited to start teaching at St. Timothy’s and becoming a part of the Maple Lake community.”
Be the first to comment