by Shana Neesvig and Callie Jacobson

With August almost half over, parents and students are most likely thinking about going back to school. Sanders County schools are welcoming new teachers to their staffs.

New to the home of the Dixon Bison are preschool teacher Mariah Delaney, Michaela Krahn assuming third and fourth grade duties, Kyler Rutz taking on fifth grade and Mariah Germano heading up seventh and eighth grade.

Thompson Falls will welcome Neil Harbel as the new music and band teacher. Jessica Lewis will be teaching sixth grade this year and Kim Lakko has been hired as the 5-8 special education teacher. Amber Yates will be teaching kindergarten at the elementary and Kimberly Milnor joins the second-grade team. At the high school, Bill McGuire will teach Industrial Technology and Jeri Walker is a new language arts teacher.

“We are fortunate to add these fine teachers to our existing outstanding lineup of great educators here in Thompson Falls,” Superintendent Bill Cain said.

This fall, Hot Springs will be gaining Ashley Todd for Physical Education and Kerri Sutkus as a science teacher for grades 7-12. The school will also have two kindergarten classes, taught by Kim Brooks and new hire Josey Silva. One kindergarten will be for 4-year-old students and the other class will include students age 5 and older.

In Trout Creek, Jefferyanne VonHeeder will be returning to teach seventh and eighth grade. Last year, she taught mathematics at Thompson Falls Junior High but will be returning to her hometown to teach the Eagles. New to Trout Creek will be Damien Young, who will serve as substitute custodian.

Noxon has seen a change of hands in the superintendent position as Jonathan Martin replaced former superintendent Mike Ehinger. Morgan Frank has been hired as the new kindergarten teacher and Marla Wright has assumed classroom aide duties.

Plains Superintendent Thom Chisholm told The Ledger that they are still working to finalize new hires and staff changes. Information for Plains will be published at a later date.