The Becker Area Chamber of Commerce held a welcome luncheon Wednesday for the 20 teachers entering their first year of work in the Becker School District.
Chamber Secretary Lynette Brannan did the introductions and invited the guests and speakers to a meal catered by Cafe Pawz. She then introduced Dr. Stephen Malone, who spoke of academic and non-academic changes in the district. He then invited the principals of each school to the front of the room to individually introduce each teacher new to their school.
Primary School
Dale Christensen introduced five new teachers.
Tim Hedden will be an elementary reading specialist and lives in Big Lake. He recently returned from a 10-year stint in China and has a 20-year background in education.
Ben Conniff will be a special education elementary teacher and has spent the last five years in different roles in the education system. He lives in Roseville and says he is “very excited to be in Becker”.
Rebekah Mix, a former Becker student, earned her masters at SCSU and lives in Clearwater. She will be an elementary speech clinician.
Sandy Larson is an art specialist who enjoys visual art and has taught the curriculum for over 20 years. She is a graduate of Thief River Falls.
Holly Karls will be a PS/IS social worker and special education teacher and recently moved to Becker from the St. Cloud area. She said she loves working with kids and is excited for the upcoming school year.
Intermediate School
Dr. Christine Glomski introduced five new teachers.
Heather Hofer will be the school’s new behavioral interventionist.
Sheena Meillier, a former graduate of BHS, will teach fifth grade.
Amanda Pratt will be teaching third grade.
Carrie Berning will be an IS social worker and Holly Karls will be a social worker for both the PS and the IS.
Middle School
Nancy Helmer introduced seven new faces to the middle school.
Miriah Dockendorf will be a fulltime social worker and is a graduate of SCSU. She lives in Monticello.
Dawn Drayna will be a math interventionist and grew up in St. Cloud and attended SCSU.
Justin Paul-Walburn will teach seventh and eight grade art and is from St. Cloud and is a graduate of Winona State.
Abby Strom will teach seventh grade English and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and also works at Caribou Coffee.
Tina Holty is returning to Becker and once sat on the school board. She will be teaching sixth grade special education.
Bethany Otto is from Andover and used to work in Belle Plain. She will be teaching eighth grade science and has a husband who teaches in Big Lake schools.
Chantel Boyer is returning to Becker after a one-year hiatus in Otsego. She will be assistant principal under Helmer and says she is glad to be back in Becker.
High School
New Principal (interim) Rick Toso introduced Brian Baloun as the assistant principal, who comes to Becker with 14 years of education experience. He is the twin brother of Becker Police Chief Brent Baloun.
Emily Tushar will be the school’s new English teacher. She is a graduate of Buffalo HS and SCSU.
Andrea Doom will be a reading specialist and is a graduate of St. Cloud Tech HS and St. Ben’s.
Gretchen Pearce will be teaching social studies and went to high school in California and college in New Hampshire.
Ryan Szymanski is the school’s most recent hire and he went to Sauk Rapids HS and is a graduate of SCSU. He also is a brand new papa after his wife gave birth to their first child two weeks ago.
Luke Slazer will be teaching social studies and is also a graduate of Sauk Rapids HS and attended UMD and was a Marine in the U.S. military.
Welcome new teachers!
