CDA school district welcomes new faces

When Deanne Clifford started as a bookkeeper at Lake City High in 1995, she couldn’t imagine one day being a member of the school’s leadership team. But 12 years later, that’s what happened. And less than a week into the school year, she couldn’t be happier.

“I thought it might be challenging to come in and take charge of discipline and change attendance procedures, especially since most of this staff was here back when I was first introduced to education, however, it has been quite the opposite experience,” Clifford wrote in an e-mail.

In her first year as assistant principal at the 1,500-student school, Clifford joins eight other educators new to their administrative positions in the Coeur d’Alene School District this year.

Former Coeur d’Alene High Spanish teacher Mike Nelson started as assistant principal at Coeur d’Alene this summer, replacing Jim Gray, who became assistant principal at Canfield Middle School.

Nelson described the first two days of school as “baptism by fire.”

“But I think that’s how it is with any new position,” Nelson said.

A 1991 graduate of the school, Nelson was voted most spirited by his senior class and is known for his unabashed Viking pride.

His new position puts him in charge of student discipline in attendance, as Clifford is at Lake City. It gives him a chance to interact with students he never dealt with much as a foreign language teacher, he said.

“As an elective teacher, I really didn’t get a whole lot of time with students who are habitual truants,” Nelson said. “It’s been a real eye-opener for me, but it’s been a positive experience.”

Other changes include:

Scott Freeby, former elementary principal at Homedale, Idaho, took over at Atlas Elementary for Kathy Kuntz, who retired.

Anna Wilson, former assistant principal at Canfield, is principal at Ramsey Elementary, replacing Ann Walker, who retired.

Lisa Pica, a longtime teacher, took over principal duties at Dalton Elementary for Kathy Liverman, who moved to Skyway to fill Pete Knittle’s principal position after he resigned after one school year on the job.

Liverman is joined by another Skyway newbie, part-time assistant principal Monique English.

Ramsey and Atlas got part-time vice principals using money from a supplemental levy approved by voters in May. Part-time ALP teacher Sharon Hanson is part-time vice principal at Atlas, and part-time Woodland teacher Nick Lilyquist is a part-time vice principal at Ramsey.

Local teacher gets national honor

Fernan third-grade teacher Tim Marks recently earned a national award from a faith-based educators group in honor of his work in the classroom.

Marks was named the 2007-08 National Christian Educator of the Year by the Christian Educators Association International. He’s taught at Fernan since moving to Coeur d’Alene in the late 90s. His wife, Cindy, is a third-grade teacher at Skyway Elementary.

Marks said he felt honored yet humbled by the award.

“It kinda makes you step back a little bit,” he said. “You know there’s other great teachers out there who deserve something like this.”

Marks, 37, grew up in Kent, Wash., and attended what’s now Northwest University in Kirkland. He taught in Western Washington before moving to North Idaho. Marks was presented the award by CEAI board chairman Daniel Elliot and West Coast regional director Forrest Turpen at a special ceremony at Coeur d’Alene First Assembly of God, where the Markses worship.

“Tim Marks will serve throughout the year as a representative and spokesperson for Christians teaching in public schools, having demonstrably embodied the best that the profession has to offer,” said Finn Laursen, executive director of CEAI, in a news release. “He will help advance public and professional awareness of a Christian world view.”

Marks said he looks forward to traveling to speaking engagements for the organization.

“I don’t really get to travel a whole lot on a teacher’s salary,” he said. “So it’d be kind of nice.”

Marks was named the Northwest University Alumnus of the Year in 2006 and the Outstanding School Employee of the Month for North Idaho in October 2005.