SAUK RAPIDS HERALD | SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2021 | Page 7
Sauk Rapids-Rice new teachers who were hired and submitted answers to the newspaper prior to the deadline are featured.
Meet the
TEACHERS Dan Athman Academic support and support services specialist at the Sauk Rapids-Rice District Family: My wife, Sara, and daughters Evelyn, 3, and Charlotte, 3. Hometown: Sauk Rapids College: St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Years of experience: Sixteen
Who has been your favorite educator? Mr. Martens valued investing time into building student relationships. If you could teach your students only one thing, what would it be? Be open to new ideas and experiences. School is a great time to learn who you are and grow into who you want to become.
Emmi Bigaouette First grade teacher at Mississippi Heights Elementary School Family: My dad, Tom Bigaouette, brother, Zach Bigaouette, sister, Abby Bigaouette, partner, Jared Kalal, and two Cats. Hometown: Stillwater College: St. Cloud State University Years of experience: This is my first year teaching. Who has been your favorite educator? My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Avery. She is such a caring person and always had her students’ best interest in mind. Mrs. Avery always provided a safe space to learn and grow. She taught me to believe in myself and showed me there was not just one path to education. If you could teach your students only one thing, what would it be? I would teach my students to show grace. We all make mistakes and can learn from those mistakes. So, rather than getting frustrated or upset with ourselves and others, it is important to show grace and help each other grow and learn.
Aimee Gilmore Special education teacher at Pleasantview Elementary School Family: My husband, Israel, and I and our daughter, Isabella, 4. Hometown: Grand Forks, North Dakota College: University of North Dakota and Emporia State University Years of experience: For the last 10 years, I was in Sartell, and my first four years were in Dodge City, Kansas. Who has been your favorite educator? After 14 years of teaching, I have met so many who have inspired me. I had great teachers through all of my schooling, and it so hard to pick one. I know so many friends, family and colleagues that are amazing and do so much for education. If you could teach your students only one thing, what would it be? Learn as much as you can every day. Keep pushing through even when the work gets hard because perseverance is the key to success. It is OK to fail and then get up and try again. So many students are afraid they cannot so they do not. I would teach them they can so they will learn things and do things even when hard. But more importantly, I would teach them they are loved and they matter. They are important, and their story is important.
Jasmine Kruschek Fourth grade teacher at Mississippi Heights Elementary School Family: I have one younger brother, two wonderful parents, and my boyfriend and I have three nephews and two new nieces or nephews on the way. Hometown: Pierz College: St. Cloud State University Years of experience: This will be my fifth year teaching. Who has been your favorite educator? My favorite educator was my first grade teacher, Mrs. Gray. She has been a great teacher, friend and mentor to me. She was so kind and welcoming, and she always made school such a fun experience for me. When I was in high school, I was a teacher’s aide in her classroom. That is when I fell in love with teaching children and decided I wanted to be an educator as well. If you could teach your students only one thing, what would it be? It would be compassion. Some of my favorite lessons to teach are life lessons. Being a compassionate and understanding person is key to success in school and future endeavors.