Weiser School District welcomes new staff

Each year a few of Weiser school district teachers move on to new adventures. Whether it be through retirement or through finding other jobs and relocating, there’s always a few spots to fill with new faces.
 While some of the new staff, are familiar faces in new positions, others will be brand new to the district. This year Weiser school district is welcoming several new staff members for the 2019-20 school year.
 With Wade Wilson moving from Pioneer Elementary School principal to superintendent, Pioneer will welcome the new leadership of Susana Dickman as principal. Also new to the certified staff is Jennifer Parker, who is looking forward to joining the kindergarten team after having worked as a paraeducator at Pioneer and completing her student teaching at Pioneer.
 Susan Pierson, who previously taught in Emmett, will be joining the third grade staff. There will also be two new teachers in the special education department, Lisa Simonsgaard, who is moving from a half time position at the middle school and a half time classified position at the district office. Erin Maycroft will also join the special education department. Maycroft relocated to Weiser with her family a little over a year ago.
 Joining the Park Intermediate School staff is a new counselor and a new fourth grade teacher. Counselor Ed Schumacher recently retired as superintendent of the Cambridge School District and is excited to work as a school counselor. Emily McLeod will be joining the fourth grade team. McLeod is originally from Oregon and is a Teach for America candidate.
 At the middle school level, Damon Courtois has taken over the sixth grade social studies position moving from the fourth grade at Park school where he has taught for several years. Justin Shumway, a literature major originally from Meridian, is excited to make his home in Weiser as he takes over the sixth grade reading position.
 Steve Willings will join the staff as the new seventh grade social studies teacher. Willings  recently moved from Las Vegas where he was teaching fourth grade. Willings is also a retired United States Marine. Amber McKenna, who worked as a paraeducator at Park School last year, will join the special education department. Jade Van Ness moved from third grade at Pioneer school to fill the art teaching position at the middle school.
 The high school will welcome several new staff members this year. Daniel Fu has been working with the Teach for America Program and has signed a two year placement contract for the science teaching position at Weiser High School.  Cheyenne Marshall, also a Teach for America candidate, will join the English department. Long-time Weiserite Patti Matthews will join the staff in a part-time Ag position to help sustain the growing Ag program at Weiser High School.
 The new teachers and classified staff members both new and returning all look forward to a great year.