Russellville Independent School District is pleased to announce the employment of eight new teachers at Stevenson Elementary School and five new staff members at Russellville High School.
Newly hired teachers at Stevenson Elementary are Sheena Jackson, Amy Duncan, Sara Horton, Erica Skipworth, Keela Osborne, Kelly Latham, Sara Beth Huston, and Sarah Quigg. They attended a new teacher orientation on Friday, July 15 at the school. In addition to these new teachers, Jennifer Cates was hired late in the school year last year as a preschool instructional assistant, and Nicole Pedigo will teach in Mrs. West’s place until Mrs. West returns from her maternity leave.
Sheena Jackson has been employed as a first grade teacher. She obtained her BS degree in Elementary Education from Western Kentucky University. Her work experience includes employment as a substitute teacher in the Warren County School district. She also worked for Bowling Green Community Education and for Rafferty’s Restaurant.
Amy Duncan has obtained her Masters degree in Reading and Writing from Asbury University, and her BS degree in Elementary Education from Asbury University. She will teach first grade. She has five years of teaching experience in Lincoln County Schools. She has also had experience coaching an elementary academic team.
Sara Horton has been employed as a speech and language pathologist. She possesses MS and BS degrees in communication disorders from Western Kentucky University, as well as her Rank I. She has a year’s teaching experience as a speech and language pathologist at Warren County schools and three years’ experience from Ohio County schools. She was also employed as a site supervisor for the Bowling Green Community Education program.
Erica Skipworth has obtained her MS degree in reading and math from Walden University. Her undergraduate degree is in elementary education from Georgetown College. She has five years of teaching experience at Adairville, North Todd and South Todd schools, and has one year of substitute teaching experience at South Todd Elementary School. Ms. Skipworth obtained her National board Certification in 2010. She will teach fourth grade.
Keela Osborne has been hired as a four^th grade teacher. She obtained her BS degree in elementary education and was employed as a long-term substitute at Richardsville Elementary School in Bowling Green. She was also on the daycare staff at Kids World.
Kelly Latham will teach sixth grade. She has a BS degree in elementary education from Western Kentucky University and was employed as a substitute teacher at Stevenson Elementary School last year. Kelly had the distinction of being Logan County High School’s drum major in 2005-06 and is a graduate of Leadership Logan. She was employed at Lifeskills Inc. for two years as a community living associate.
Sara Beth Huston, who was employed part-time last year at Stevenson Elementary School as a math interventionist, possesses a BS degree in elementary education from Western Kentucky University. She will teach ^fifth grade. She also has two years of teaching experience at Dishman McGinnis Elementary School, in Bowling Green.
Sara Quigg will teach kindergarten at Stevenson Elementary School. She has an MA degree in elementary education from Indiana University Purdue University and a BA degree in elementary education from Hanover College in Indiana. She worked part-time as a reading interventionist and substitute teacher at Stevenson Elementary and also has several years teaching experience as a kindergarten and first grade teacher in Indianapolis schools. In addition, she has worked as a tutor and a preschool teacher.
At Russellville High School, the newly hired teachers are Jessie Baker, Tina Shoemake, and Kathryn Gregory. Tyler Meacham and Daniel Elliott have been hired as instructional assistants.
Jessie Baker will teach social studies. She has a BA degree in social studies and history from WKU and has student-taught at Bowling Green High School.
Kathryn Gregory has been employed as an FMD teacher. She possesses a BA degree in speech communication and has a year’s experience as a special education teacher in the Carlisle County School District.
Tina Shoemake worked for Russellville city schools as a bus driver for seven years, and worked for the past six years at Logan County schools while she was obtaining her teaching certification. She possesses a BS degree in Middle Education. She has been hired to teach reading at the 7-8 Center.
Tyler Meacham, who graduated from Russellville High School and from Western Kentucky University with a BS in Physical Education, has been a substitute teacher for Russellville Schools. Meacham will be employed in the 7-8 Center as a special education instructional assistant.
Daniel Elliott, a graduate of RHS and Campbellsville University, was a long-term substitute for Russellville schools last year. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He will work as FMD instructional assistant/ middle grades head football coach.
There will be an orientation for all newly-hired staff members on July 29, in the Central Office Board Room. A light breakfast will be served at 8 a.m., with the meeting to follow.
In addition to these newly hired teachers, several teachers at Stevenson Elementary have moved to new grade levels and a few have transferred to the high school. Barry White will now be teaching social studies at the 7-8 Center. Lisa White will be the newly organized ACE center teacher (formerly the alternative learning center). Melanie Vincent will transfer to second grade and Sherry Bouldin will transfer to the media center. Cyndi Sanders will now be teaching kindergarten. Missy West is transferring to second grade, while Holly Behm and Rhonda Kidd are transferring to third grade. Amber Seeley and Nicole Osborne are both transferring to fourth grade. Connie Tipton will transfer to sixth grade. Tera Ragland joins the SES staff as a music and math interventionist, and Elda Chavez will transfer from RHS to be an ESL teacher at Stevenson Elementary.