Students at most area schools return to class this week, with many of them seeing new faces in their classrooms.
At Jefferson Intermediate School, there are two new teachers in the building this year. Liz Hammerly will work with special education students grades four through six, while Kevin VanDyke will teach a fifth grade classroom this year.
Hammerly tells KNIA/KRLS News her intention wasn’t to start in the special education field, but has since developed a passion for working with those students and is embracing the unique challenges and situations that come from her involvement in the field.
“I had an opportunity to take a special education job a Lynnville-Sully, and they wanted to take a chance on me, so I took on that chance and I knew I’d have to go back to school,” she says. “It’s just one of those things that I felt called to do — a lot of the kids that I serve sometimes need that person in their corner to advocate for them and make sure they are getting what they need.”
VanDyke was a student in Jefferson Intermediate School in fourth and fifth grade, and says it’s been a unique experience to return to the building and community.
“It’s really cool to start making some connections with people, kind of running across familiar faces.”
Pella is hosting meet the teacher opportunities at all elementary schools on Wednesday, with Lincoln and Madison hosting events from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and Jefferson from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Additionally, an open house will be held at the middle school that afternoon from 1:30 to 3:00.
School start dates:
August 23rd (Thursday):
Pella
Knoxville
Melcher-Dallas
Twin Cedars
Pella Christian High – August 23rd (New Students) August 24th (All Students)
Pella Christian Grade
Lynnville-Sully
Sully Christian
Peoria Christian
North Mahaska (was originally August 22nd due to scheduling error by administration)
SE Warren
Indianola
August 28th:
Pleasantville
PCM