New teachers join HHS staff
By JENNIFER WILSON
News editor
Here's the good news: The high temperatures this week won't cross 100. Things are cooling down
Here's the bad news: That means it's time to head back to school.
Though you may think that May just happened yesterday, it is, in fact, Thursday, Aug. 14. And if you're a teacher in the Durham-Hillsboro-Lehigh school district, you were supposed to be at work yesterday.
But for some teachers, the 2003-04 school year marks their first to teach inside the halls of Hillsboro High.
Interested in meeting these new faces at HHS? Read on.
Nathan Hiebert
Nathan Hiebert is new to the teaching world, having just graduated from Bethany College this past May. He will teach business classes at HHS, filling the role previously held by Corey Burton, who is now the principal of Hillsboro Middle School.
Hiebert was born in Newton and raised in El Dorado. He graduated from El Dorado High School, then went on to Bethany College. Hiebert wanted to play basketball in college and attend a four-year school at the same time, he said.
When he entered college, Hiebert started out with one major: business. But he soon realized he wanted to go into teaching — an interest he'd had since his own school days — so he declared a double major, adding education to his curriculum. In his senior year, Hiebert did his student teaching in the Smoky Valley school district.
But he also had the chance to visit Hillsboro classes — specifically, Burton's classroom — during a joint methods class run by the Associated Colleges of Central Kansas, or ACCK. That class was led by Tabor College professor Mary Regier, and it brought students to various schools around the area.
Hiebert also has some family ties to the community: Both his father and grandfather were born in Hillsboro.
So when Hiebert saw the job opening on the Internet, he decided to apply.
"I'd heard lots of good things about the high school," he said.
Hiebert likes interacting with high school students, both in the classroom and during summer camps. It's an opportunity to shape young minds, he said.
This year, Hiebert's classes will include accounting, computerized accounting, economics, and general business. He'll also oversee the on-the-job training program.
I'm excited for it to start," Hiebert said.
Monica Leihy
Monica Leihy is no stranger to teaching in Marion County: She spent six years at Centre High School.
Now, after taking a three-year break from teaching to spend time raising her children, Leihy is headed back to school — along with her youngest daughter, who'll start kindergarten.
"We're both going," she said, laughing.
Leihy is the new family and consumer sciences teacher and FCCLA sponsor at HHS. She takes over the roles previously filled by Karen Call, who resigned to move with her husband, Pat, out to Hill City.
Leihy (pronounced like the town "Lehigh") has taught for 12 years total — six at Centre, three at a school near Sheridan, Wyo., and three in Cedarville, Kan.
She's taught at a variety of age levels, ranging from seventh grade to community college.
"Each one has its perks," Leihy said. She's also taught Spanish in addition to "home ec" courses.
The former Peace Corp volunteer (she served in Ecuador) has a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Kansas State University, where she also earned minors in Spanish and vocational FACS. Later, she earned a master's degree in secondary education.
Leihy lives in Tampa with her husband, Tom, and five children: Sean, Isaac, Meghan, Karyn, and Mary. Her oldest, Sean, will be a freshman in high school this year, and her youngest, Mary, starts kindergarten. All of them will attend Hillsboro schools, Leihy said.
This teacher foresees a busy year ahead: teaching FACS, sponsoring FCCLA, and being a mom to five kids.
"It's a full-time job — plus," Leihy said.
Stuart Holmes
Stuart Holmes is glad to be back in the classroom after a three-year stint as principal.
"I missed the kids in the classroom," he said.
Holmes is HHS's new social studies teacher. Some of his classes include world history, psychology, sociology, and international relations.
He likes the fact that studying these topics relates directly to the current events his students will also discuss.
"Social studies is life," he said.
For the past three years, Holmes has served as the principal of Goessel Junior/Senior High School. Before that, he taught for 16 years in other Kansas schools, ranging from Halstead to Scott City.
Holmes attended Central College in McPherson, then received his bachelor's degree at Emporia State University. He earned his master's degree at Fort Hays State University.
Holmes says he feels fortunate to be involved with quality school systems in Goessel and Hillsboro.
He and his wife, Carolyn, have five boys: Nate, Thad, Lane, Gabe, and Wade. Nate, the oldest, will be a freshman, and Wade, the youngest, will start kindergarten this year. All five will attend Hillsboro schools.
The Holmes family is currently trying to sell their house to move to Hillsboro, but years of attending Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church have brought them friends in the Hillsboro community, Holmes said.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Holmes will also serve as the head coach of the cross country team and assistant coach of the track team. He finds the sports rewarding because although each athlete competes individually, there's always a good team camaraderie.
He's ready for the new challenges Hillsboro holds.
"I'm excited about the opportunity," Holmes said.
