New faces greet Peabody-Burns students
By SUSAN MARSHALL
News editor
Seven new faculty members join a new superintendent and junior/senior high school principal in the staff lineup for the 2007-08 school year.
Joseph Credit
Joseph Credit teaches math to Peabody-Burns junior and senior high students.
He earned his degrees at Worcester State College in Massachusetts, Clarion State College in Pennsylvania, and Fort Hays State University.
"This is my first year as a contract teacher," he said. "Last year I worked in a dropout-recovery program in Clay Center. Before that I substituted for three years.
"I am also certified to teach music."
Credit also indicated he is an accomplished guitar player.
"I spend summers touring with my son, who plays mandolin," he said. "We play bluegrass and jazz, and whatever else we feel like playing."
Among his goals for the coming year is a desire to see Peabody-Burns students achieve exceptional ranking in state assessments.
"I also am interested in seeing all of our young people become better citizens," Credit said.
Credit and his wife maintain a home in Concordia although he lives in Peabody during the week. They parent six children, ages 16 to 36.
Courtney Dealy
Courtney Dealy is teaching Spanish I and II to district high school students.
"I am looking forward to a year full of fun and discovery, watching my students improve their ability to speak, read, write, and understand Spanish," she said.
Dealy is a graduate of the University of Florida.
"I applied and was accepted to an AmeriCorps program called 'Teach for America'," Dealy said. "In 'Teach for America' I underwent my teacher training and was placed in a low income area in need of teachers.
"I was assigned to the Rio Grand Valley, on the border between Texas and Mexico."
She taught for two years in a bilingual fifth grade where she had all subjects, and in a middle school where she taught math and science.
Dealy, who is single and has no children, lives in Newton.
Kathy Ensey
As vocal music teacher for students in both Peabody-Burns attendance centers, Kathy Ensey will have many names to attach to the new faces in front of her every day.
She will be teaching elementary students in grades three to six, junior high choir, high school choir, and Voices.
"My expectations for the coming school year are very high," she said. "I anticipate the students putting on some wonderful programs while growing together within their groups."
Ensey graduated from Wichita State University in May 2006, with a degree in music education and an instrumental music performance emphasis on flute.
"I previously taught church choir and wind ensemble," Ensey said. "This is my first year teaching in a public school system."
She and her husband, Jared, (a K-8 physical education teacher at Colwich) live in Kechi.
Elizabeth Gottsch
Getting the new Peabody-Burns Success Center established will be the job of Elizabeth Gottsch.
The program will help students who have problems learning from traditional methods. Gottsch has experience in alternative classroom.
"This is my fifth year teaching," she said. "I started in 1990 and have taught a variety of classes between then and now."
She was a classroom teacher for fourth, sixth, and eighth grades, taught seventh and eighth grade language arts, and high school alternative program.
Gottsch is a graduate of Tabor College. She is married to Tabor football coach Mike Gottsch and they live in rural Marion.
The couple has three children who are in school at Hillsboro: Ben, is a 16-year-old junior at HHS, Franny, 13, an eighth grader, and Sam, an 11- year-old sixth grader.
Cindy Sattler
A second math teacher will be new to the district this year. Cindy Sattler will be teaching math at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels.
Sattler earned her bachelor of science degree in math education from Northwest Oklahoma State University.
Before accepting the job at Peabody-Burns school district, she was a substitute teacher for six years and a math teacher for one.
"I really hope to have the kids feeling good about mathematics," she said. "I want them to have an 'I can' attitude."
Sattler and her husband, Scott, have lived in Newton two years. They have three daughters and a son.
Dan Shipman
History, government, and current events fill the daily schedule of Dan Shipman, new social studies instructor at PBHS.
Shipman has a degree from Wichita State University and 21 years teaching experience under his belt. He taught Saturday and night classes for 12 years at Butler Community College as well.
He also spent 11 years working for Mobil Oil in Augusta and Los Angeles, Calif.
Shipman and his wife, Linda, live in El Dorado. Their son, Jeremy, lives in Kansas City and daughter, Stacy, is in Africa. They have a granddaughter, Gabi, living with them and attending first grade.
His expectations for the coming year include "helping my students enjoy their educational life."
Shipman notes he thinks USD 398 is a "great school system." He is anxious to become a part of things.
Asked if there is anything else he would like the Peabody and Burns communities to know about him, he quipped, "Yes, I have a cat named Sam who does nothing more than eat and use the litter box."
Rita Voth
Rita Voth is Peabody-Burns Elementary School social worker.
She has been a social worker since 1985 and has worked in health care, hospice, mental health, and education.
"My goal for the coming year is to support students, their families, educators, and administrators," she said. "I am looking forward to a successful year at PBES."
Voth attended Bethel College for her undergraduate work and received her degree in social work. She later earned a graduate degree in social work from the University of Kansas.
She also has special education certification.
She and her family live in Newton.
