MV Teachers And Staff Welcomed Back

By LAURA ROBISON

The Progress

School principals, teachers, and support staff from all four Moapa Valley schools were given an warm ‘welcome back’ at an annual breakfast event held on Wednesday morning, August 3. The breakfast was held in the Moapa Valley High School cafeteria.

As is tradition, a full pancake breakfast was cooked up and served by members of the Moapa Valley Rotary Club.
“We have been doing this for about 15 years now,” said Rotary president Suzy Bennett. “We love our schools and staff and we are happy to show our support for them.”

MVHS principal Hal Mortensen welcomed the crowd at the beginning of the day.
He then introduced new staff members at MVHS this year. These included Mandi Leavitt, teaching Business; Sean Tyler, teaching Choir/Orchestra; William Ragland, teaching Band; Allison Coble as a Band Aide; new custodians Holly Chow and Jeannie Lawrimore; Exceptional Student Aides Irene Hauver and Dallin Garlick; the new school banker Alisha Cooper; and School-based Staff Rondalene Brandon.

Some new staffing assignments have also been given this year, Mortensen noted. Shelie Jensen will be the secretary, adn Heather Larsen the office manager.

A few of the MVHS sports coaches performed a humorous skit about sitting on invisible benches. They all fell to the ground when they were told the invisible benches had been moved.

We caught up with new MVHS band teacher William Ragland who moved to the valley from Mississippi to accept the position. “I have been here before as I love to travel and ride motorcycles,” Ragland said. “About 8 weeks ago I was in Moapa Valley and heard that there was an opening in Clark County. I applied on a Friday, got the job on a Monday, packed in one day and was here 32 hours later.”

At Ute V. Perkins Elementary, Mortensen introduced Hailey Bromley as a new first grade teacher, Stephanie Viers as a third grade teacher, Monica Dominguez as a new library aide, Penny Harris as a new Perk aide (transferring from SpEd position) and the new Special Education Instructional Facilitator is Edie Park.

Some of the Perkins staff performed a skit where each one told a ‘secret’ to the next person in line. The final person revealed that there was no prepared skit.

Jaydel Wilson, the new principal at Mack Lyon Middle School, introducing himself to the crowd. He also recognized some new teachers and assignments at the school. Melissa Evans is an English teacher. David Hardy will teach Social Studies. Vanessa Fullman will be the new librarian. Mitzi Bender will teach Band. Natalie Bennion will serve as the school’s Banker and Marissa Moss, Teachers Assistant.

Wilson read a satire poem he wrote, and also said, “I am very excited to be here, at Mack Lyon and in this valley. I am looking forward to not only working with the staff, but meeting all of the wonderful students as well.”

Kelby Robison, principal of Grant Bowler Elementary, then took to the stage to introduce new members of his staff. These included Sherrie Kaylor teaching Kindergarten; new second grade teachers Crystal Houston, Wendy McElroy and Jennifer Rae; Scott King teaching third grade; two new fourth grade teachers Christie Crisler and Lynda Murphy; Music teacher Bradley Stucki; PE teacher Paula Dehner; and Lisa Hahn teaching Special Education.

Robison humorously demonstrated the difference between school life with a mask, not being able to speak and hear clearly, and without a mask, hearing better and seeing all the faces of both staff and students.

Lisa Hahn, new Special Education teacher at Grant Bowler has moved to Moapa Valley from Flagstaff, AZ.
“I came here to be closer to my brother and his family,” she said. “I have Autism SpEd experience and have been a teacher for 10 years. I am very happy to be a part of this community.”

At the conclusion of the breakfast gathering, Mortensen invited everyone to go to the stage that was filled with many boxes of school supplies donated by the Charles and Phyllis Frias Foundation, who supported all small and rural schools in Nevada.