Whitewater welcomes 12 new teachers to the classroom
By Tom Ganser
Correspondent
The Whitewater Unified School District began the 2015-16 school year by welcoming 12 new teachers. The new teachers were selected from more than 200 applicants, including 48 who were interviewed at least one time.
WUSD Director of Instruction Kelly Seichter said applications for teaching positions in WUSD are often submitted online through Wisconsin Education Career Access Network. After hiring committees that include as many as six teachers and administrators review and rate application materials, top candidates are called in for one and sometimes a second interview.
Depending on the position and the timing, a site visit also might be arranged to observe candidates in their current position. Sometimes candidates might be asked to facilitate a lesson, conduct a song with students or generate a meeting agenda.
“A lot depends on the nature of the job being filled,” Seichter said.
Asked what gives WUSD an edge over other districts in terms of recruitment, Seichter said, “We get a lot of folks eager to come here because we have a respectful culture of the professionals we hire.”
She gave as an example a Whitewater employee who actively recruited an English Language Learners teacher because she was so pleased working in the district.
“We’re not at the bottom of the pay scale but we’re not exactly at the top either,” Seichter admitted. “We get a lot of graduates from the University (of Wisconsin-Whitewater) that have made connections in our classrooms and would like to continue on as employees.
“Bottom line, there are lots of tough places to work but WUSD is a really nice place to work.”
Teachers joining the staff at Whitewater Unified include:
- Emily Calcaterra who will be the school counselor at Lakeview and Washington elementary schools,
Calcaterra serves 4K through fifth grade students, along with being a student council advisor at Washington and a member of the School Climate Committee at Lakeview.
With a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in school counseling from Concordia University Wisconsin, she is also certified in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention.
Before coming to Whitewater, Calcaterra held several positions in East Troy Community Schools, including substitute teacher, elementary school secretary, and assistant to the director of special education.
“We are very excited for Emily Calcaterra to join the Washington and Lakeview families. It is clear through her interviews and references that Emily has outstanding preparation, education and preparedness to take on the role of school counselor,” Washington Principal Tom Grosinske said.
“Whitewater is such an interesting mix. It is a culturally relevant small town. I love the welcoming feeling of the area. I have many friends and acquaintances in Whitewater and the surrounding areas and I already feel at home,” Calcaterra said. “I love the relationship between the schools and the college. What a great opportunity to help others reach their educational goals while benefitting our students at the same time”
- Chelsea Kuhlow who wil teach music at Lakeview Elementary School.
Kuhlow joins the district’s music education program with a bachelor’s degree in instrumental and general music. Two years ago, Kuhlow completed a field placement at Lakeview under the guidance of Karen Tordera, now the vocal music teacher at WHS.
“Chelsea comes to us with a ton of energy and excitement,” Lakeview Principal David Brokopp said. “She stood out in the interview process with her passion for teaching and music. We feel that she will be a great fit into the Lakeview Family and that our students will be lucky to have her as a teacher.
“Chelsea is a UWW grad that brings with her a great deal of performance experience, passion for music, and an incredible work ethic. It has been amazing to see how quickly she has become invested into our school and district.”
- Kristen Klein who will teach English Language Learners in grades K through five at Lincoln Inquiry Charter School.
Klein graduated from UW-Madison with a major in elementary education and a minor in Spanish. She also earned certifications in Spanish, English as a Second Language, and Bilingual Education.
“I was fortunate to be able to do some of my student teaching in Peterborough, England,” Klein said. “Since graduating from Madison, I have taught middle and high school Spanish, ESL (grades K-12), and had a third grade bilingual classroom for five years.”
She is also a certified translator.
“I was looking to return to working with English Language Learners and saw the posting for this position at LINCS,” she said. “I talked to a number of people and heard wonderful things about this school, its staff, and its students. I’m excited to be working in such a proactive school and community.”
- Kristyn Armstrong who will teach Spanish at Whitewater Middle School.
Armstrong is one of five new teachers joining the WMS faculty. With a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and political science from UW-Madison, Armstrong comes with a strong work history, including participating in the Americorps program in Chicago for one school year, teaching math to seventh and eighth graders under the supervision of a mentor teacher.
She has a passion and love for students and language. She is not only fluent in Spanish but conversationally in Italian as well.
“We couldn’t have gotten a better Spanish hire,” middle school Principal Tanya Wojciechowicz said. “Kristyn is not only fluent in the language but she brings the Spanish and Hispano and Latino cultures to life every day in her classroom. We look forward to the energy and vibrancy she will bring to our program.”
“Whitewater has a great reputation for its schools. I also was really interested in working with a school that has a large Spanish-speaking population,” Armstrong said.
- Nick Bee who will teach eighth-grade social studies at the middle school.
Bee earned a bachelor’s degree in history education and athletic coaching from UW-Whitewater where he was also a member of the track team. After completing his student teaching experience at Palmyra-Eagle High School teaching social issues and U.S. History, Bee spent last year at St. Anthony Middle School in Milwaukee where he taught math and history.
Bee, who serves as the assistant sprints coach at UWW, said “I wanted to be back in the community that I attended college. I really enjoyed my time here and wanted to be part of that again.”
- Calla Dellinger who will teach sixth-grade math and science at the middle school.
Dellinger comes to WMS with a long history of working with students both in the classroom and as a camp educator/counselor and coach.
She was awarded a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, with a minor in science, from Concordia University Wisconsin, after student teaching in third grade at Schurz Elementary School and sixth-grade science at Riverside Middle School in Watertown.
Dellinger’s prior experiences include a long-term substitute teaching position in eighth-grade science at Kettle Moraine Middle School, as well as daily substitute teaching throughout the Watertown and Kettle Moraine School Districts.
Dellinger applied for the position after seeing it posted on WECAN and hearing some great things about the school district and WMS.
“I also really love teaching sixth grade and was looking for a middle school position,” she said.
Wojciechowicz said Dellinger’s passion for kids was apparent in the interview and that she has “a kind, student-centered disposition,” along with strong knowledge of “Response to Intervention” practices and instructional technology.
“I get to teach math for the first time this year so I am really looking forward to broadening my horizons and learning alongside my students,” Dellinger said. “I am also lucky enough to have the advanced sixth-grade math classes, which will be really fun.”
The other six new teachers in the district will be profiled in next week’s edition of the Register.
