2008 - 2009   Office Staff

Kurt Lindemann

~ Principal ~

lindemannk@kgbsd.org

Shawna Harrison

~ Secretary ~

harrisons@kgbsd.org

Tami Daniels 

~ Secretary ~

danielst@kgbsd.org

Cindy Kloxin

~ Building Aide ~

kloxinc@kgbsd.org

I home schooled my four kids in a logging camp for two years.

I was born in Arkansas, raised in Roseburg, Oregon and moved to Alaska in 1989 with a husband, three daughters, one son, one black lab, one calico cat and a 1964 Chevy pick-up.

I am a wife and mother. I did not have previous work in schools prior to starting my job at Houghtaling.

I love my grandkids, growing things, cooking, and sewing. I am a 50’s housewife at heart. ?

Sherry Preston

 ~ Health/Utility Aide ~

prestons@kgbsd.org

I grew up in Anaheim California and have lived in Ketchikan since 1995.

I attended Umpqua Community College in Roseburg Oregon where I received my AA in Business Management.

I am a “Jack of all trades” which is very pertinent to my position as Health / Utility Aide.

My hobbies are sewing, fishing, reading and I'm a recycled materials artist.

 Classroom Teachers   2008-2009

Penny Connelly

~ Preschool ~

connellyp@kgbsd.org

I began teaching in 1997.

I grew up in Ketchikan.

I’ve also lived in Spokane, Washington; Eugene, Oregon, and Kanayama, Japan.

I attended Gonzaga University where I received my Bachelors of Education in Special Education. The University of Oregon where I received my Masters of Science in Early Intervention / Early Childhood Special Education.

I’ve taught preschool at White Cliff, Houghtaling, and Point Higgins Elementary Schools. I’ve also taught preschool in Oregon and Japan.

I enjoy scrap booking, taking pictures, baking, singing and playing my guitar. Mostly of all I love spending time with my husband and my little by James.

Traci Garner

~ Preschool ~

garnert@kgbsd.org

I began teaching in 1990.

I grew up in Wyoming and have lived in Ketchikan for 18 years.

I attended Casper College where I received my AA; the University of Wyoming where I received m BA and my SPED endorsement.

I like to quilt, bead, make jewelry with silver clay, spending time with my girls/family.

Michelle Dyakanoff

~ Kindergarten ~

dyakanoffm@kgbsd.org

Connie Wingren

~ Kindergarten ~

wingrenc@kgbsd.org

I began teaching in 1967.

I grew up in a small town on Danube, Minnesota. I have been in Ketchikan since 1967.

I attended Mankato State in Minnesota. I have a degree in Elementary Education with a specialty in kindergarten.

I grew up in a family of teachers. My mother was a kindergarten teacher. I also have four siblings that were or still are in the education field.

I very much enjoy reading, cooking, and spending time with my family. In my spare time I am “Mrs. Clause!”

Kim Berg

~ 1st Grade ~

bergk@kgbsd.org

I have been teaching since 1996.

I grew up in Colorado and have lived in Ketchikan for 7 years.

I attended University of Northern Colorado Greeley where I received my degree in Elementary Education / Sociology.

I like to scrapbook, reading, watching movies, camp, fish, and hiking.

Jennifer Simpson

~ 1st Grade ~

simpsonj@kgbsd.org

Angie Taggart

~2nd Grade ~

taggarta@kgbsd.org

Jan Haynes

~ 2nd Grade ~

haynesj@kgbsd.org

Ketchikan is where I was born and raised. From an early age I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. Working with children who have special needs has always been my passion.

My first teaching job was at Houghtaling School in 1977 for two years. I was fortunate enough to be able to student teach under the direction of Earlene Brown and Vel Price who truly were ‘Master Teachers.’ They team taught a class of second and third graders. (Mrs. Price was my Second Grade teacher at White Cliff, too! )

I quit teaching after two years and went commercial fishing with my husband who is from a Ketchikan Commercial fishing family. I fished as far south as Foggy Bay, and as far North as Berners Bay above Juneau and as far west as Sitka and Noise Island and many places in between. It was a great way to experience SE Alaska!

Kathleen Varela

~ 2nd Grade ~

varelak@kgbsd.org

I began teaching in 1997.

I was born and raised in Germany and Texas.

I attended UTEP in El Paso Texas where I received a BA of Elementary Education with a specialization in Early Childhood.

I like to bake, spend time with my boys, and shop.

Colleen Smith

~ 3rd Grade ~

smithc@kgbsd.org

Norma Thompson

~ 3rd Grade ~

thompsonn@kgbsd.org

Danielle Hewitt

~ 4th Grade ~ 

hewittd@kgbsd.org

This is Mrs. Hewitt’s first year teaching.

Mrs. Hewitt spent most of her childhood growing up on her family’s farm in southern Idaho. They moved to Alaska in 1982 and she attended high school in both Anchorage and Soldotna, where she graduated from in 1986. Mrs. Hewitt moved to Ketchikan seven years ago as a Unit Leader working for the Division of Juvenile Justice helping to open the Ketchikan Regional Youth Facility.

She attended the University of Alaska in Anchorage where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology. Mrs. Hewitt is currently in the process of completing a Masters of Teaching through the University of Alaska in Juneau.

Since graduating from college in 1992 Mrs. Hewitt has spent her entire career working with children. She has been an activity therapist, a counselor and a coach. She spent almost ten years working for the Division of Juvenile Justice and worked at both McLaughlin Youth Center and the Ketchikan Regional Youth Facility. She was an investigator with Child Protective Services for one year and has spent most of the last five years working in the district as a special education paraprofessional, a student teacher and substitute teacher.

Mrs. Hewitt loves to hang out with her fishing buddies, take walks with her husband, work in the yard, build things, redecorate her house, make jewelry, scrapbook and of course…read, read, READ!

Gretchen Klinger

~ 4th Grade ~

klingerg@kgbsd.org

I began teaching in 2005.

I was born in Washington State and moved to Ketchikan at age 11.

I graduated from Western Washington University in 1996. I received a Master's of Arts in Teaching in 2005 from the University of Alaska, Southeast, Juneau. I also received a Post-Baccalaureate certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from Seattle University that same year.

My hobbies include, but are not limited to, Kayaking, reading, cooking healthy foods, traveling and being in the great outdoors.

Shay LeBeau

~ 4th Grade ~ 

lebeaus@kgbsd.org

Kristy Martin

~ 4th Grade ~

martink@kgbsd.org

Dave Jones 

~ 5th Grade ~

jonesd@kgbsd.org

Class Web Page

David has been teaching for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District since the 2000-2001 school year.

He is considered "Highly Qualified" under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and has a Masters Degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement from the University of Alaska Southeast. He has a Type A Teaching Certificate from the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. Additionally, Mr. Jones has a Masters in Educational Leadership with a Principal Endorsement for K-8 and 7-12 from the University of Alaska Anchorage. He holds a Type B Administrative Certificate from the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.

Mark O’Brien 

~ 5th Grade ~

obrienm@kgbsd.org

Class Web Page

I began teaching in 1976.

I am a Native of Washington State.

Bachelor of Education, Seattle University, 1976 Renton High School, WA, 1969 Alaska State Science Consortium Fellow, Alaska Science Teachers Association SE Region Rep., Alaska State Writing Consortium Fellow, Member of the Alaska Teacher Leader Network

My teaching experience: Houghtaling, 5th grade, 2004 to present Houghtaling, 1st grade, 1997/2004 Houghtaling, 2nd grade, 1996/97 Houghtaling, 1st grade, 1995/96 Houghtaling, 3rd grade, 1994/95 Houghtaling, substitute 1993/94 Sequim, WA 3rd grade, 1992/93 Sequim, WA 2nd grade, 1990/92 Renton, WA, 2nd 1977/79 Renton, WA, 5th 1976/77

Erica Reynolds

~ 5th Grade ~

reynoldse@kgbsd.org

Sharon Carson

~ 6th Grade ~

carsonsh@kgbsd.org

I have been teaching since 1992.

I grew up in Juneau, Alaska and have been in Ketchikan for 17 years.

I attended Eastern Washington with my major in reading and minor in math.

What I like to do when not at work is sports; spend time with my children, the outdoors, and travel.

Meredith Lundamo

~ 6th Grade ~

lundamom@kgbsd.org

I began teaching in 1998.

I grew up in Maine and have lived in Ketchikan for 10 years.

I attended University of Maine at Farmington where I earned my teaching degree K-8, with a concentration in writing.

My family and I enjoy fishing and boating, traveling and being with our long distance family.

Eileen Truitt 

~ 6th Grade ~

truitte@kgbsd.org

Class Web Page

I began teaching in the classroom in 2000, but have worked with children since 1983.

I grew up in Beaverton and Newberg, Oregon. I lived in the Seattle/Tacoma area for a few years before moving to Juneau, Alaska in 1989. We moved to Ketchikan in August 1996.

Graduated from Newberg High School in 1978.  I attended George Fox College in Newberg, Oregon where I studied Physical Education and Camping. I transferred to Seattle Pacific University where I received by BA in Recreation Leadership with an emphasis on Camp Management and Coaching. In 1993 I began taking classes at the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau where I obtained my teaching certification and Masters in Educational Technology.

When not at work I like to travel, read, make movies, and enjoy time with my family.

Support  Staff

Pam Christianson

~ Speech~

christiansonp@kgbsd.org

Pam is from the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

She attended Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon & earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Communication Disorders/Special Education. A Masters of Science degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences was acquired in 1987 from Portland State University.

She and her husband moved to Barrow, Alaska where she taught for 3 years as an itinerant speech language pathologist on the North Slope. They relocated in 1990 to Ketchikan where she contracted as a speech language pathologist at the hospital, Pioneer Home, Community Connections and various school districts and early learning programs.

Pam has been in our district here at Houghtaling since 1993.

Her hobbies include coloring, reading, visiting, and picking berries.

Shelly Harris 

~ Special Education~

harriss@kgbsd.org

Kathy Schulz  

~ Autistic-Sped~  

schulz@kgbsd.org

Tanya Antonsen

~ Music ~

antonsent@kgbsd.org

I began teaching private music lessons in 1972, then teaching in the public schools in 1980.

I was born and raised in Ketchikan. I moved away for college and returned in 2007.

I attended Pacific Lutheran University 1974-80 where I received a Bachelor of Arts Education in Instrumental and Choral Education K-12. I also attended University of Memphis, 1988-90 where I received my Masters of Music in Choral Conducting.

I have taught music since I was 16 years old. My youngest student was 3 and my oldest was 90. I have taught privately, in public schools and at the university level. I play flute in the community band, sing in the community choir and play piano and organ at a local church.

Besides music, I love reading, sewing, and hiking.

Jennifer Walton

~Physical Education~

waltonj@kgbsd.org

Valerie Brooks

~Reading Teacher~

brooksv@kgbsd.org

I began teaching in 1995 in Ketchikan, Alaska.

I lived in England, grew up in Connecticut and then moved to Colorado after college. I lived in Edna Bay, Alaska for 12 years and moved to Ketchikan in 1994. I have managed pizzerias, worked for USFS, fished commercially, and home-schooled my kids. I have hitchhiked through Europe and lived off the grid.

I attended college at University of Connecticut, University of Alaska Southeast, and University of Alaska Juneau. I have a Bachelors of Science, Education and Masters in Education, K-12 Reading Specialist.

I like to read, knit, walk, and visit with my kids.

Liz Bower 

~ ESL~

bowerl@kgbsd.org

Originally from Maine, Liz Bower has lived in several states before moving to Alaska twenty-four years ago. She studied French throughout her school years, and later graduated from Arizona State University, earning a Bachelors of Science Degree in Geography in 1981. Liz's passion for travel and curiosity about international cultures lead to extensive backpacking trips in Peru, Bolivia, Columbia, Chile, Nepal, and Thailand, as well as traveling to Mexico and Costa Rica. She recently participated in a volunteer trip to a remote Tibetan village to teach English to children in an orphanage school.

Liz worked a myriad of jobs before teaching. She fought forest fires in Arizona for several years then decided to cool off by moving to Alaska in 1984. Here, she worked as a cook on tugboats, a fisheries technician for ADF&G, a deckhand on commercial and sport fishing boats, and a manager for a seafood store. She returned to graduate school and earned her teaching credentials in elementary education in 1989. She has taught in the KGBSD for the past 17 years, 13 of those years were teaching grades four, five, and six. She recently earned her ESL credentials from Seattle University. She continues her professional growth by studying bicultural development/ESL graduate classes. Liz has spent the last few years teaching ESL students in the elementary schools. She believes these students are amazingly brave people, working hard to learn another language in a foreign place. Their culture adds richness and diversity to her life, our school and country.

Karen Nelson

~ ESL~

nelsonk@kgbsd.org

Wendy Stryker 

~ IEA~

strykerw@kgbsd.org

Petrina Calvin

~ IEA~

calvinp@kgbsd.org

Penny Ranniger

~Library~

rannigerp@kgbsd.org

Elizabeth Ouderkirk 

~Library Aide~

ouderkirk@kgbsd.org

Katy Hook 

~ Title I ~

hookk@kgbsd.org

Kathy Jo Smith

~ Title I ~

smithk@kgbsd.org

Susi Beattie

~ Title I ~

beatties@kgbsd.org

I began working at Houghtaling in 1994.

I was born and spent my elementary years in Switzerland. My family moved to Ketchikan in 1964. I have lived in California, Florida, Virginia, and Indiana.

I attended ITT Peterson School of Business and University of Alaska, Ketchikan Campus.

I worked at the Houghtaling Elementary library for seven years. Then three years at the Ketchikan Public Library. This past school year I was the Aide in a Kindergarten class of 27!

I enjoy reading, gardening, embroidery, and aqua aerobics.

Dorrien Hendrickson

~ Paraprofessional~

hendricksond@kgbsd.org

I began working in the schools in 2007.

I grew up in Roscommon, Michigan. I have been in Ketchikan since 1998.

I attended a private college in St. Louis, Missouri and have an associate’s degree.

My first passion is music and almost as equivalent to that is reading. I can’t get enough of either. I enjoy spending time with my family and scrap booking when I get the chance to sit down. With five kids, two dogs, two cats and two exotic birds I have little time to spare!

Kathy Fischer 

~ Paraprofessional ~

fischerk@kgbsd.org

Rachel Reed

~ Preschool Paraprofessional ~

reedr@kgbsd.org

Cheryl Hoggard

~ Preschool Paraprofessional ~

hoggardc@kgbsd.org

Pat Stack

~ Safe Schools ~

stackp@kgbsd.org

I was born in Minnesota but have enjoyed living in Ketchikan for the past 20 years!

I have 12 years of early education experience working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school age children, in a licensed childcare center.

I love to spend time with my family. I write music, and enjoy performing on stage. My family has always been heavily involved in sports so I have been enjoying coaching entry-level sports.

Timi Edwardson

~ Preschool~

edwardsont@kgbsd.org

I was born in Ketchikan, raised four girls here.

I earned my Associates in Business at Highline Community College.

I have been in the preschool position starting my 9th year.

When not at work I enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, and reading.

Jennifer Junker 

~ Preschool~

junkerj@kbsd.org

I began teaching in 2005.

I grew up in Southeast Alaska in many different logging communities until I was 10. Then we moved to Wrangell, which I consider my hometown. I’ve been in Ketchikan since 2000.

I attended UAS where I received my Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with a Management emphasis.

I love kids and am a mom.

I like to spend time with my family, hiking, traveling, and baking are my favorite things to do.

LoAnn Swanson

~Resource Aide~

swansonl@kgbsd.org

Dennis Weis

~ Custodian ~

Don Scarbrough

~ Custodian ~

?

~ Custodian ~