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The student news site of Delphi Community High School.

Parnassus

The student news site of Delphi Community High School.

Parnassus

New Teachers at DCHS

Delphi Community High School is home to nine new staff members.  Take a moment to get to know them a little better by reading below.

Cindy Reinke

Reinke

1. How long have you been teaching?

Before I came to Delphi, I taught at Carroll for 11 years.  Some of that time was 1/2 day and my last couple years they were full time.

2. Have you taught at any other schools?

I have only taught at Carroll.

3. Where did you graduate?

I graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics.  Now we call it Family and Consumer Sciences.  (Home Economics sounded like it was for girls only.  By changing the name of the degree, we now attract as many boys as girls!)

4. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

My original plan was to be a County Extension Agent and work with the 4-H program.  In the middle of my studies, the state of Indiana changed some rules/laws about who could be an Extension Agent.  Getting a teaching degree didn’t set me back on my graduation date so that is when I decided to be a teacher.

5. What is your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobby would be cooking and baking.  I also love to sew and quilt.  Also I love the outdoors–camping, jogging, hiking, 4-wheeling…

 

Polly Andrews

Andrews

1. How long have you been teaching?

This is my first year at Delphi, but I taught in the Horticulture Department at Purdue University-West Lafayette for many years as a graduate teaching assistant and as a limited-term professor.

2. Have you taught at any other schools?

Only at Purdue

3. Where did you graduate?

University of Wisconsin-River Falls for my undergraduate education and at Purdue University-West Lafayette for graduate school

4. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

I have always enjoyed teaching and I decided teaching high school would be a great way to teach and to have my summers off to spend with my family.

5. What is your favorite hobby?

Landscaping and gardening, which keeps me busy all summer long.

 

Dana Kirkwood

Kirkwood

1. How long have you been teaching?

I am a school social worker.  So, I don’t teach in the classroom.  This is my first year working in this role.  I am also the Program Director at CrossRoads Ministries in West Lafayette.  There, I teach a lot of life lesson courses to junior high and high school kids.

2. Have you taught at any other schools?

I have been an intern at Glen Acres Elementary School in Lafayette, IN.  Additionally, I interned at Nicholson Elementary School in Crawfordsville, IN.

3. Where did you graduate?

I graduated from the University of Phoenix in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Administrations.  In June, 2013, I received my Masters in Social Work from Indiana University.

4. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

Education is the one thing that when you have achieved learning, it can never be taken from you.  Because I believe this to be true, I wanted to help students maximize their access to a safe and secure learning environment in which they could be free to concentrate on being in class learning and making plans to move forward with a wonderful career path.

5. What is your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobby is spending time with my family playing games, watching movies, and talking about good books.

 

Jason Milligan

Milligan

1. How long have you been teaching?

This is my first year teaching, but I worked as a maternity leave substitute where I did my student teaching.

2. Have you taught at any other schools?

 I student taught at Options Charter School in Carmel, IN

3. Where did you graduate?

I graduated from Purdue University.

4. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

I had great teachers in high school who influenced my decision to become a teacher.  My German, calculus, and physics teachers knew so much about what they were teaching, and they cared whether or not I learned what they were teaching.  I want to be that kind of teacher.

5. What is your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobby is playing trombone–though I don’t get to play as often as I would like!

 

Leslie Pickering

Pickering

1. How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for 13 years.

2. Have you taught at any other schools?

I have taught at Twin Lakes, Delphi, Lewis Cass and Now back to Delphi

3. Where did you graduate?

I graduate from Ball State with a BS in Technology Education and went on to get my Masters in Special Education from IU.

4. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

I became a teacher because I LOVE working with kids and seeing them reach their goals and their full potential. I love watching someone learn something new and get excited about it.

5. What is your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobby is to hang out with family doing outdoors activities that I can be with my three little ones and my husband playing softball, swimming. However to de stress and enjoy some me time I love being able to design on the computer logos and working on individual projects of my own.

 

Paige Clinkenbeard

Clink

1. How long have you been teaching?

3 years

2. Have you taught at any other schools?

I was an aide at Benton Central, and then taught at South Newton.

3. Where did you graduate?

 Purdue University! Boiler Up!!!

4. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was young, but my reasons have changed. I teach now because I feel I’m in a good position to be an agent for change in the world around me, and because I have a passion for education and how it affects society as a whole.  Oh, and I like kids. (haha)

5. What is your favorite hobby?

Too many to mention, but my current favorite is coaching my dance team girls. :)

 

Amy Lee

Lee

1. How long have you been teaching?

This is my second year of teaching.

2. Have you taught at any other schools?

I taught at New Albany High School last year.

3. Where did you graduate?

I graduated from the University of Kentucky with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and from Ball State University with a M.A. in Secondary Education.

4. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

I enjoyed tutoring chemistry and math when I was in college. I like being able to help people and possibly inspire future scientists and engineers.

5. What is your favorite hobby?

Reading

 

Jennifer Doyle

Doyle 1

1. How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching on and off for about 7 years.

2. Have you taught at any other schools?

I have taught at Purdue, Battle Ground Middle School, and I was an interventionist at BGMS as well as Harrison High School.  I was an interventionist and Math Coach here at Delphi last year.

3. Where did you graduate?

I graduated from Bradley University in Peoria, IL with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science.  Then I attended Purdue, where I studied Linguistics, and Math Education.

4. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

As a child I often thought I wanted to be a teacher, but I didn’t know what area or age I would like to teach.  In college I studied Computer Science and sort of drifted away from the idea of teaching.  But while I was in graduate school at Purdue, I taught two undergraduate Linguistics classes and realized that teaching really was what I wanted to do.  My favorite aspect of teaching is when a student is struggling with something, or dreads the idea of something (fractions, anyone?) and suddenly, you can practically see the light bulb go off over their head, then a few days or weeks later you can hear them saying to another student who is struggling with that topic, “oh that’s easy, here, do it like this…”

5. What is your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobby is probably reading.  Pretty much any time I am not at school I can be found with book, Kindle, or laptop in hand.  I may be reading four or five different works at a time, and I have to try to put off long reads until the weekend, otherwise I will stay up all night finishing, and be a zombie the next day.

Brett Zachery

Zackery 1

1. How long have you been teaching?

This is my first year as a teacher.

2. Have you taught at any other schools?

I was an instructional Assistant at Sheridan MS

3. Where did you graduate?

Indiana University- Kokomo

4. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

I have always wanted to work with students, I enjoy getting to see people grow and learn, which makes teaching great for me.

5. What is your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobby is traveling. I like going out and seeing new places, especially places of historical significance.

 

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    Laura AndrewsJan 23, 2021 at 11:49 pm

    Polly Andrews is my mom! Laura in 2021

    Reply