The new faces at KHS
Photo by JOSH MCDONALD The new staff at Kellogg High School. Pictured from left is Rusan Nyborg, Tenaya Hergert, Rachel Hix, Rachel Weaver, Steven Abner, Thomas Sharp and Mark Lama.
A new school year means new faces, both students and in staff, and Kellogg High School has a few on its staff this year.
Thomas Sharp (math), Steven Abner (science), Tenaya Hergert (consumer science), Mark Lama (math), Rachel Hix (skills center), Rachel Weaver (counselor) and Rusan Nyborg (skills center) all began their first year at KHS earlier this week and they are happy to be where they are.
“The first few days have been pretty easy,” Lama said. “The students are very polite and helpful, which makes these first days easier.”
Sharp actually missed the first day of school, which is usually unacceptable for a student or a teacher, but he had a pretty good excuse — as he and his wife welcomed their child into the world on Labor Day, ironically.
Sharp was pleased with the school’s understanding, as well as their ability to get a substitute.
“The school was great about everything,” Sharp said. “They got a sub in and she did a great job handling the first day of school.”
Both Nyborg and Hix are new to KHS, but have spent time working in other schools in the Kellogg School District.
Hix is the wife of Kellogg School District’s band instructor Brian Hix.
As workers in the skills center, they work with KHS students who may need specialized instruction or extra attention due to a myriad of reasons.
Weaver, came to Kellogg after working in the Moses Lake School District for eight years as a counselor and Gear Up program director.
Hergert has taken over the consumer science department at KHS — which covers a multitude of ground — and she has plans to grow the department into something that gives students a multitude of options.
After teaching health, nutrition, fitness at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Hergert is looking to give her students broad horizons in the various fields that she teaches.
The Kellogg School District gave her the opportunity to work in an area where she thrives and in a place she feels comfortable.
“My specialty is at-risk populations,” Hergert said. “And I wanted to get back into the mountains.”
Abner, a native of the western part of Virginia (not West Virginia) arrived two years ago to the area, but this will be his first year teaching at KHS.
Abner discovered Kellogg online and fell in love with the area.
“It’s just a great community,” Abner said. “The kids are great. I just love it here.”