New Teachers Bring Experience, Enthusiasm To Jobs

Spokane Valley schools have plenty of teachers who are new to the area. Some are veteran teachers from out of state. Others are enthusiastic newcomers, right out of college.

Here is a brief introduction to those teachers:

Carol Cleveland is a special education teacher and behavior interventionist at Blake Elementary. She comes from Moses Lake where she taught seven years.

Katherine Godtfring is a special education teacher at Horizon Middle School. She has taught for nine years, most recently in Mesa, Ariz.

Stacey Heaton, who has coached gymnastics at University High School since 1987, is teaching journalism there this year. She is a first-year teacher and earned her bachelor’s at Eastern Washington University.

Elizabeth Rose, now teaching English at University High School, taught last year at West Valley High School after more than 20 years teaching in Los Angeles County.

Mike Welch, who is teaching English and drama and coaching volleyball at University, is a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Washington University.

Tami Henry is a new counselor at West Valley High School, after teaching in District 81 for 11 years Camilla Koch is teaching music at West Valley High and Centennial Middle School, after three years in the Mary Walker School District in Springdale, Wash.

Heather Jordan is teaching first grade at the Millwood School. She substitute taught for West Valley last year and graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1995.

Ron Barsness is a new teacher at East Valley High School’s alternative program; he taught as a substitute last year for the district.

Lynn Benson, a counselor at Mountain View Middle School, came from the Bonner County School District and has six years experience.

Sandra Blair, a second-grade teacher at Trentwood Elementary School, has substituted for East Valley since 1993.

Kasey Burnham, a resource room teacher at Trentwood Elementary, is in her first year of teaching. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Western Washington University.

Lori Carollo is in her first year, teaching language arts and drama at Mountain View. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Gonzaga University.

Carol Eichler, a special education teacher at East Valley High School, moved to the Valley with 13 years of teaching, from San Mateo, Calif.

Loriann Howe, who has four years teaching under her belt, including one year at Cataldo Catholic School in Spokane and three years at Mountain View, is teaching language arts and drama at East Valley Middle School.

Colleen McCray brings three years’ experience to her job as a pre-school teacher at Skyview Elementary.

Jacquelene McNamara is teaching English at East Valley High School. She taught previously at Spokane Community College and has 12 years experience.

John Phelan, a math and science teacher at East Valley Middle School, is in his first year of fulltime teaching. He substitute taught for the district since 1994.

Alison Walton is teaching sixth grade at East Valley Middle School. She has six years’ experience and comes from Richland schools.

Susan Wiley, who is teaching at the alternative program, comes from Shoreline High School, near Seattle. She has six years’ experience.

Kara Woods is the junior class counselor and freshman cheerleading coach at the high school. She is in her first year and earned her master’s degree at Gonzaga University.

Michael Christman, now teaching English and journalism at East Valley High School, substitute taught for the district last year.

, DataTimes