By Diana Nuno, Editor
One. That’s the number of new teachers at KHS, drastically dropping from the nine new faculty members hired just last year at the high school and 24 district-wide. Physical science teacher Joanna Edelman is the sole edition, replacing the departing teacher Joshua Louis.
“This is my first year teaching; however, I was here all last year [student] teaching with Mr. [Jim] McKnight,” Edelman said.
Edelman also collaborated with McKnight on the volcano project last fall. The project was adapted from NIU, and Edelman used liquid nitrogen, a 40-gallon garbage can full of water, a two-liter pop bottle and bricks to create an explosion.
“I try to make everything we learn relate to the student’s life somehow. It’s important that they know what role science plays in their life,” Edelman said.
Edelman teaches Physical Science to freshmen and transfer students who haven’t yet fulfilled the credit.
Science department chair and biology teacher Jennifer O’Hara was part of the panel that chose the new science teacher.
“Edelman stood out among the other candidates because, she had great energy and seemed to be very excited about teaching,” O’Hara said.
Edelman received the interview call while on vacation in Florida. She flew home from vacation to complete the interview, and then flew back.
“I thought this job would be perfect because it’s such a beautiful school,” Edelman said.
In addition to her trip to Florida, Edelman traveled 29,000 miles, visiting Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. Edelman was born in Poland and moved to the U.S. at age 18 she is fluent in Polish.
Although Edelman is the only new permanent staff member, KHS also has several other temporary faces. Student teachers currently at KHS are: Doug McNally, teaching business courses with Paul Mayer and Andrew Igras; Craig Zimmerman, teaching business and social studies with Tammi Conn and Mark Meyer; Grant Bramer, teaching social studies with Scott Parillo and Joe Thorgesen; Laura Steere, teaching math with Sharon Beck and Travis Berth; and Yunhui Dorr teaching special education. Kimberly Reese is a long-term substitute for English teacher Brooke Simon, who will return from maternity leave in January.
