Three new teachers join USD 398 staff
Staff writer
The new school year brings new faces to USD 398.
Ann Leppke
Applying the term “new teacher” to one of the new staff members may seem a bit odd to some people in the community. Ann Leppke is a familiar face around the Peabody and Burns communities because she has taught in our district before.
Leppke, who lives near Marion with Lyle, her husband of 23 years, will be in charge of the success center this year. The success center is a program of credit recovery offered to students who need to make up classes they have missed or failed.
While the success center will be Leppke’s primary teaching duty, she will also teach a horticulture class. Other duties for the 2010-11 school year include junior high volleyball coach, junior class sponsor, and sponsor of the new adventure club.
“I am looking forward to an exciting and busy year,” she said. “The adventure club is going to add an exciting element to the school and community.”
Leppke is a seasoned teacher with 18 years of experience in biology, advanced biology, and physical science instruction. She also has coached and sponsored extra-curricular groups. She attended Southwestern College and earned her Bachelor of Art degree in secondary biology education.
“I am thrilled to be back at Peabody-Burns Junior/Senior High School,” she said. “The communities of Peabody and Burns have always been very welcoming and supportive.
“The teaching staff and other school employees have always felt like a second family. I’m looking forward to working again with the school and communities,” she added.
Leppke and her husband have two sons, Ben, 21, a senior at Fort Hays State University, and Mitchell, 19, a sophomore at McPherson College.
Shaleen Miller
The new grade school vocal music instructor comes to USD 398 from Mulvane.
Shaleen Miller attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in vocal music education. She has taught kindergarten through 12th grade vocal music for five years.
Miller will teach vocal music to students kindergarten to sixth grade at Peabody-Burns Elementary School.
“I am excited to be here and I am looking forward to a great year,” she said. “I am excited about passing my love of music with a new set of students.”
Miller is single and has no children. She will commute from Mulvane to Peabody.
Sara Grout
New to the Peabody-Burns district, but perhaps familiar to some students and parents is Sara Grout, who comes to USD 398 after working for Marion County Special Education Cooperative. Grout worked for MCSEC for three years.
She will serve as school social worker, MTSS coordinator, and career development facilitator.
Grout lives in Goessel. She and her husband, Marc, have a 7-month old son, Nolan. Her husband is the Goessel Elementary School principal.