Sara Sandstrom, Nederland. Every new school year brings a few new faces to school staff. This year Nederland Middle Senior High School (NMSHS) has brought a few new people on board. The greater Nederland community welcomes them and appreciates their enthusiasm as educators.

Aimee Tomlinson

Aimee Tomlinson is not new to Nederland or to NMSHS. She has however taken on a new role. With Mary DeBroux’s retirement in the spring Aimee has taken on the position as the school office manager. If you have been around any school for very long you know that the school office manager is much of the glue that holds a school together. 

Aimee comes from a family of Kansas wheat farmers. She attended a small school outside Wichita and then went to college at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. She has a degree in Interior Design and worked at architecture firms designing commercial and family residential buildings for several years. 

When I asked Aimee what she likes about the job she said that she loves being a problem solver. She added, “It’s nice to be someone that parents and teachers can go to when they need help with something. I’ll do whatever I can to help them out.”

This is a multi-faceted, multi-tasking job and Aimee said that one of the big challenges is just not knowing what she does not know yet. Aimee said, “I feel fortunate that when Mary Debroux retired, she spent a good deal of time helping me get going. She was the most organized and knowledgeable office manager to learn from. So, I feel like I got a good running start on the job. But we are living through all of the changes that Covid-19 has brought on so nothing is ‘normal’ this year.”

It has also been helpful that Aimee has worked at the school for three years already and knows the staff and routines. Aimee has two daughters in Nederland schools, and she knows as a parent that navigating through Covid can be confusing and frustrating. She is empathetic to parents and school staff and will always do her best to help them out and hopefully make their day a little better.

Hannah Eld

Hannah Eld has come to NMSHS to teach 7th and 8th grade Language Arts, 8th grade Social Studies and a Business class in high school. She says that she loves seeing students grow into their full potential. She knows how important it is to foster a positive relationship with students and support them as they develop skills necessary to find success and happiness in life. 

 Ms. Eld’s journey to NMSHS has not been conventional. She was born in Leicester, England and moved to Paris, France, when she was in elementary school. Then, her family relocated to Southern California. She feels her experience of living in different cultures is an asset she brings to the classroom. Ms. Eld feels driven to explore a multitude of worldly views with her students. 

Ms. Eld has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a master’s degree in Education Instruction and Curriculum, both from the University of Colorado Boulder. 

This is her first year teaching. With that comes so many things to learn. Ms. Eld believes her own struggles in school as a young person allow her to connect with a wide range of students, as well as create lessons that engage and support all students. 

Kelly Houk

Kelly Houk is a new teacher in the Multi Needs Classroom at the middle and high school. She grew up in a very small town in Illinois and earned her Elementary Education and Special Education degree from Carthage College. Kelly also has a master’s degree from Olivet Nazarene University in School Leadership and Administration.  

Kelly has been teaching for 13 years and the majority of that time within the transition realm of Special Education. Every teacher has passion for what they do, but a teacher in this role has a level of passion, empathy and love that is often not matched. Kelly strives to teach her students to be better prepared for the world ahead of them. She says, “I love thinking outside the box on how to get my students to become as independent as possible while being an active participant in their community.”

When asked what challenges she faces, she responded by saying that we all face the challenge of being aware of people with different abilities. Teaching ability awareness is something Kelly does in the classroom and school community. 

Kelly brings experience and dedication to helping us all become more aware and compassionate to people with different abilities. An area so many of us could use more understanding with. 

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Jennifer Gregory

Jennifer Gregory is a math and computer science teacher. As with so many teachers in small schools Ms. Gregory is teaching a variety of classes, they are 7th and 8th grade Math, high school Algebra 1, Web Design and Introduction to Computer Programming. 

Ms. Gregory grew up in Pompano Beach in southeast Florida. She has a degree in Mathematics and Secondary STEM education. This is her third year teaching. Before coming to Nederland, she taught for two years in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

Ms. Gregory says, “I am dedicated to engaging the investigative and inquisitive part of student’s minds.” She loves math and has fun with all the personality that teenagers bring to the table. Her hope is to give students a more friendly and accessible view of mathematics.

Madi Shaheen

Madi Shaheen grew up just down the hill in Denver. She received an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and has been a K-12 educator for over 15 years. Prior to obtaining her counseling degree seven years ago at Alfred University, Ms. Shaheen taught high school Chemistry and Biology in New York City. 

She says that she feels honored and at home in the Counseling Office at NMSHS. She is passionate about public education and provides comprehensive support for the entire school community. Ms. Shaheen is working to establish a strong partnership between the school and community through the Career and Technical Education pathways at NMSHS. She is also very interested in academic and post-secondary readiness and community mental health.

Like many Coloradans she enjoys the outdoor activities the state has to offer. 

Please, extend a warm Nederland area welcome the next time you see any of the new staff members from NMSHS. Thank them for being in a profession that at times seems overwhelming and thankless. These staff members have been given the task to educate and inspire the youth of the area with integrity. Let’s give our support so they can do the best work that they can.

(Originally published in the September 17, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)