Lake County schools welcome new teachers to campus
Arlee
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ARLEE — Arlee welcomes six new teachers to their schools for the 2014-15 school year.
Jana North – once an Arlee student – returns to teach first grade.
“I grew up in Arlee and graduated from here in 1986,” she said.
In 2009, she graduated from Montana State University in Billings with a master’s degree in education. Her bachelor’s degree is in forestry.
“My favorite aspect of teaching is getting to know my students and parents in the community as well as seeing that glint in a student’s eye when he or she achieves success,” she said.
North was a teacher in Dixon before she took the position in Arlee.
“I taught fifth to eighth grade at Dixon Elementary,” she said.
North and her husband Ted have been married 21 years. They have three children with ties to the Arlee School District. Cody graduated from Arlee in 2012, Amelia is a senior and Alice is a freshman. Several hobbies interest North when she isn’t teaching, including attending sporting events, working with 4-H and experimenting with photography and art.
Karen Smith is joining the district as the new fourth-grade teacher.
“My favorite aspect of teaching is developing relationships with my students; being able to guide them through the discovery of new ideas, and seeing their excitement when they are able to easily do something that was once difficult,” she said.
Her teaching career has spanned 10 years from Montana (Lolo and Lame Deer) to New Hope, Minnesota and Nightmute, Alaska.
She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota before going on to get a master’s degree in Science Education from Montana State University.
Her hobbies include spending time outdoors, photography, hiking, softball and reading.
Cassie Jo Silvernale is expanding the arts program for kindergarten through second grade students and the music program for the kindergarteners.
“Building a relationship with students and sharing in their successes,” she said are her favorite things about teaching.
She graduated from the University of Montana Western with a teaching degree. She substitute taught for two years in Arlee before taking the new position.
Silvernale has lived in Montana for the past 10 years with her husband, Faus Silvernale, after she transplanted to the area from Texas.
“We are half owners of Dixon Melons,” she said.
If she isn’t farming or teaching, she spends her time kayaking or making pottery.
Holly Kincaid is the new high school math teacher.
“My favorite aspect of teaching is helping students develop knowledge and understanding within mathematics,” she said.
She moved to the area from eastern Montana where she taught at the Fort Peck Reservation; before that, she taught in Alaska.
She got her start in teaching at the University of Great Falls with undergraduate degrees in Math and English. She will soon receive her master’s degree in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Gifted and Talented Education from the University of Connecticut.
“I am extremely interested in helping all students to develop their talents inside and outside the classroom,” she said.
Kincaid grew up in Great Falls with three older brothers. She enjoys running, skiing and reading when she isn’t teaching.
“I love the outdoors,” she said.
Bonnie P. White is teaching both math and science at the high school level.
“Watching students get excited about learning new things and demonstrating their knowledge to others,” she said are her favorite aspects of teaching.
She taught at Target Range Middle School in Missoula and at the University of Utah in the geology and geophysics department. She has lived in Missoula for the past 15 years with her husband Travis and children Trista and Cody.
White graduated from Big Sky High School in Missoula before getting her bachelor’s degree in geology and physics from the University of Montana. She picked up a master’s degree in geophysics from the University of Utah and master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Montana State University. She enjoys many hobbies when she isn’t teaching.
“Hiking, biking, rafting, skiing, skating, swimming, traveling, playing and coaching sports (basketball, volleyball, football, baseball, softball, hockey), gold panning and rock hounding with my family,” she said.
Adele Martin is the new Salish teacher for the district. She started teaching the language at Nkwusm in 2007. Her favorite thing about teaching is to hear older students speak the Salish words she taught them when they were younger.
“They come back to me and say ‘lemlmts’ (thank you); I love to hear them say the words I taught them. It’s those little ‘ah ha’ moments, those random moments when you know they got it, that I really like.”
Martin received a degree in elementary education from Salish Kootenai College. She graduated from Mission High School and has three grown children. When she isn’t teaching, she enjoys beading and making moccasins.
