Seven new teachers in the Colfax school district

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX — When school started September 1, seven new teachers reported for duty in the Colfax school district.

The new teachers this year are Corey Adams (high school science); Shannon Harrison (middle school special education); Julia Hydukovich (fourth grade); Trista Arendt-Klemish (high school special education); Maegen LaTulip (fifth grade); Alyssa Smith (middle school social studies); and Derek Westholm (elementary music).

Here are their biographies.

Adams

Corey Adams earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with an Aquatic Science Concentration at UW-LaCross in 2012. He obtained his teaching certification in January of 2016.

Adams comes to Colfax High School from Altoona High School, where he taught high school science beginning in August of 2016.

Prior to teaching in Altoona, Adams taught at Menomonie Middle School from January of 2016 until June of 2016.

He was a student teacher at Elk Mound High School from August of 2015 until January of 2016.

During the summer months, Adams is employed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as a water resource management specialist.

“This allows me to continue to use my degree and provide first-hand experience as to what you can do with science. I am eager to participate in extracurricular activities, such as coaching, leading clubs, and various committees that are available,” Adams wrote in his resume.

Colfax hired another science teacher because of an increase in the number of sections of Biology and Chemistry.

Harris

Shannon M. Harris, hired as a middle school special education teacher at Colfax, earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in May of 2017 from UW-Eau Claire with a major in middle childhood early adolescence and special education.

Harrison completed student teaching in elementary education at Southview Elementary School in Chippewa Falls from March until June of this year and completed student teaching in high school special education at Bloomer High School from January to March.

In addition, Harrison completed a practicum in secondary special education at the Altoona Alternative Learning Center in the fall of 2016 and was a mentor in the UWEC Blugold Beginnings program at Altoona High School and completed another practicum at Robbins Elementary in Eau Claire in the spring of 2016 and field experience at Elk Mound Middle School in the fall of 2015.

Hydukovich

Julia Hydukovich joins the teaching staff at Colfax Elementary as a fourth grade teacher after completing her student teaching as a fourth grade teacher in Colfax from August of 2016 to January of 2017.

Hydukovich is president of the Colfax Public Library Board and began her position on the library board in May of 2015.

She also served as a substitute school secretary in Colfax beginning in September of 2014.

Hydukovich completed Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation in Elementary Education (K-8) through Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, Utah, in May of 2017, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Management from UW-Stout in 2013.

Arendt-Klemish

Trista Arendt-Klemish, hired as a high school special education teacher, served as a K-6 special education teacher at Cadott Elementary before coming to Colfax.

Arendt-Klemish became licensed as a cross categorial special education teacher with a specialization in emotional behavior disorders through EduCATE-WI (Norda Inc.) affiliated with St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and became licensed in June of 2017.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from UW-Stout in May of 2012.

Arendt-Klemish served as a special education homeroom teacher at Eau Claire Academy from August of 2015 to September of 2016, served as lead pre-school teacher at Monkey Business Early Educational Community in Chippewa Falls from May of 2013 to August of 2015 and served as a pre-school teacher at Country Kids Daycare in Bloomer from November of 2012 to May of 2013.

LaTulip

Maegan LaTulip, hired as a fifth grade teacher, earned a Bachelor of Science in Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence Education with a minor in Language Arts from UW-Eau Claire in May of 2017.

She was a student teacher at Mound View Elementary in Elk Mound from January to June of this year.

She served as a child care/assistant teacher at Children’s Nature Academy in Eau Claire from September of 2013 to September of 2016.

LaTulip also served as a child care/team member for AmeriCorps ECLIPSE in Eau Claire from September of 2012 to May of 2013.

Smith

Alyssa Smith, hired as a middle school social studies teacher, came to Colfax from the Woodbury Leadership Academy where she taught social studies, language arts and English in sixth and seventh grade.

Smith earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with a Broad Field in Social Studies and Emphasis in History from UW-River Falls in May of 2015.

She studied abroad with the International Traveling Classroom in Europe the spring of 2012, and completed study tour research in Japan in March of 2014.

Smith completed student teaching at New Richmond Middle School from January to June of 2015 and completed student teaching at New Richmond High School in tenth grade history from November to December of 2014.

Smith also has been a skating instructor at the Hunt Arena Skating School in River Falls since 2009 and was an assistant director at the Hunt Arena Skating School from September of 2011 to January of 2012.

Westholm

Derek Westholm, hired as the elementary music teacher, earned a Bachelor of Music Education in instrumental and general music K-12 from UW-River Falls this year.

This past year, Westholm has been a substitute teacher in the Ellsworth Community School District, the Hudson School District, and the St. Croix Central School District.

From 2013-2017, he was a private lessons instructor and taught lessons to students on numerous instruments, including drums, percussion, mallets, guitar and ukelele.

Westholm was the assistant marching band instructor at Glenwood City in 2015.

He has served as the UW-River Falls symphony band section leader, as the UWRF jazz ensemble section leader, as an intern at the Shell Lake Arts Center and as the music director at the Abundant Life Church.

Westholm has participated in a variety of musicals, too, including on the guitar: “Big,” “Grease,” “They’re Playing Our Song,” “Footloose”; and on the drumset/percussion: “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Chicago,” and “All Shook Up.”

He was a member of the River City Symphony Orchestra, which accompanied the Hudson High School Choir’s Home for the Holidays Concert Series, and was part of the Wisconsin Ambassadors of Music European Tour in 2010 on a performance tour of seven European countries with the WAM Concert Band.