By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Hillsboro Elementary School has three new teachers this year.

Tena Loewen

Tena Loewen, a second-grade teacher, describes herself as interactive and high-energy.

“I love hands-on projects and encouraging students to think outside of the box,” she said. “However, in order to think outside of the box, students must first be able to understand what is in the box.”

Loewen is a familiar face around Hillsboro, having grown up there and achieved many honors in high school and at Tabor College.

She graduated from Tabor in December with a major in elementary education and a minor in English as a second language.

Although she has always loved children, Loewen had told herself she would never be a teacher. She pursued pre-physical therapy and counseling before deciding to give teaching a try.

After graduating, she spent the spring semester at Solomon and discovered she loved teaching.

With the encouragement of family and friends, she applied for the opening at Hillsboro.

“I am excited to be teaching in my hometown,” she said. “I love being able to invest in the lives of my students beyond the classroom, such as when I see them at church, the Igloo, or ball games.”

She also is excited to be a part of the redesign process the district is undertaking.

Loewen and her students worked together on writing goals for their class: seeking wisdom and truth, taking care of each other, taking care of the community, and learning from mistakes.

Loewen’s family owns The Igloo. She enjoys spending time there “eating and making snow cones.” Hiking and kayaking are two of her favorite outdoor activities. She also enjoys cooking, crafts, and playing sports.

Michelle Ediger

Michelle Ediger is a kindergarten teacher. She grew up at Ingalls and graduated from Tabor College in 1994 with a degree in elementary education.

“I have always loved working with kids,” she said. “When I was a senior in high school, I was a teacher’s aide and decided then to go into elementary education.”

Her goal is to help her students love learning throughout their lives. The new math curriculum is challenging her to learn new ideas for presenting subject matter.

Ediger taught three years at Elyria Christian School near McPherson and 12 years at Cimarron before coming to Hillsboro. Her husband, David, is employed at Tabor.

Michelle and David have three girls: Morgan, 21; Maddie, 18; and Mallory, 16.

Her children’s activities keep her busy. The family enjoys taking mission trips to Bolivia.

Denise Evans

Denise Evans teaches all-day preschool for 4-year-olds. She sees her job as preparing children for all-day kindergarten.

“I love to learn and to see children learn,” she said.

Her father was in the military. She grew up in Louisiana and Texas. Her mother is from Herington.

Evans has a master’s degree in education, with emphasis on early childhood. She taught for five years in the Wichita school district.

“I am very impressed with the principal and staff I have met,” she said.

Her teaching is project-based, using small groups and technology.

Evans has six grown children. She loves taking walks, spending time with family, and going to auctions.