Along with familiar faces from last year, students at Clearview Elementary will be seeing a few new ones with the school welcoming eight new employees this fall. While some have been in the district for years, others are just starting out, and all are excited for the opportunities and challenges of the new year.

 

Mayra Esparza is new to Clearview and will be teaching third grade. She received her bachelors in elementary education from St. Cloud State University this past year, and this is her first teaching position. 

 

Esparza is a native Spanish speaker, and her goals for the upcoming school year are to create a positive classroom community and build relationships with her students and coworkers. She owns a motorcycle and enjoys traveling, recently visiting Washington where she went hiking and whale watching. She has two pet Budgies and lots of Molly fish.

 

Tori Cowles is Clearview’s new school psychologist. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Morris, and her masters and specialist degrees in school psychology from Minnesota State University Moorhead. Before graduate school she was a Minnesota Reading Corps tutor. Although new to Clearview, this is her second year with District 742.

 

Cowles’ goal for the upcoming year is to create relationships with students, staff, parents and community members.  She’s a lifelong learner, and hopes to instill a love of learning in those around her. She enjoys walking her goldendoodle puppy, reading historical books and doing things outdoors.

 

Heidi Hoffarth is the school’s new social worker. This is her second year with the district, although her first at Clearview. She has a bachelor in social work from St. Cloud State University. 

 

Hoffarth’s goal for the school year is to meet everyone and build strong relationships with students, staff and parents. She enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors.

 

Michelle Hommerding

Michelle Hommerding is Clearview’s new behavior resource specialist, a new position in the district. She has a bachelor of science in organizational behavior with a minor in psychology from the College of St. Scholastica. She has been with District 742 for nine years, and also worked for Catholic Charities as a mental health practitioner and on-call youth counselor. 

 

Hommerding’s goal for the upcoming school year is to make connections and help all the students have a fun and successful school year. She loves theatre and has been a stage manager with GREAT Theatre since 2009. She recently married, and she and her husband are deputy fireworks commissioners and are in charge of the 4th of July fireworks at Wilson Park in St. Cloud. 

 

Hommerding has three dogs, loves being a mom, and enjoys sailing, reading mysteries and spending time in her flower garden.

 

Bonnie Kay is the school nurse for fall. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s in nursing and has held a number of different positions in nursing, including 15 years at District 742. Although she retired in 2014, she has substituted since that time, and will be at Clearview through December.

 

Kay is looking forward to getting to know the students, assisting them with any health needs they may have, and helping facilitate their learning experience by providing a safe environment for them. She’s an avid cyclist, enjoys kayaking, sailing, listening to jazz music and playing it on the piano. She and her family are Minnesota Twins fans.

 

Mary Maslonkowski’s new position at Clearview is in special education, and she will be working with students with special needs. She obtained her K-8 elementary education license as well as licenses in multiple areas of special education from St. Cloud State University. Although new to Clearview, she has worked for District 742 for 10 years.

 

Maslonkowski’s goal is to become an active member of the Clearview community, and she’s excited to get to know all the students, staff and families. She’s a lifelong resident of St. Cloud and recently purchased her childhood home. She enjoys traveling and is looking forward to a number of trips in the upcoming year.

 

Jolene Baldridge and Lindsay Clarksean

Clearview is also welcoming new fourth grade teacher Jolene Baldridge and Health Para Lindsay Clarksean to their community this fall.