New Staff Members at Pierce
Pierce Elementary School Welcomes New 4th Grade Teacher
by Shayna Hawkinson
For the 2022-2023 school year, Pierce Elementary School has a new face in the 4th grade, Mrs. Molly Haselhorst. She teaches reading and math to her class of students and then grammar and writing to all 4th graders.
To give a bit of history about Haselhorst, she grew up and attended high school in Schuyler. After high school, Haselhorst attended the University of South Dakota where she got her degree to be an elementary and special education teacher.
After college, she taught at Hartington-Newcastle for six years, and there she instructed 4th, 5th, and 6th grade math classes. Then she moved to Norfolk’s Bel Air Elementary School where she was a reading intervention teacher.
Some of Mrs. Haselhorst’s hobbies and interests are spending time with her friends and family, knitting, and helping her family with farm projects during the summer or when she has extra free time.
What she likes most about Pierce so far is that the staff has been very welcoming and supportive, and that the kids are a lot of fun.
She says, “The rest of the year is going to be fun.”
She has always enjoyed working with kids and teaching the kids because everyday it is always something different.
Pierce High Adds a New Face to the English Department
by Ella Gaes
Pierce High School is happy to announce a new teacher in the English department, Ms. Kylie Mosel. She teaches English to the seventh and ninth graders. She is also involved in coaching junior high volleyball and basketball.
To give a little background history about Mosel, she grew up and attended high school in Plainview. After high school, Mosel attended college at Wayne State where she majored in secondary education.
In Mosel’s free time, she enjoys being outside, spending time with her family, and going to concerts.
Mosel’s motivation to become a teacher came from her aunt who was an English teacher when she was in high school.
Mosel is looking forward to her time at Pierce High. After asking Mosel what she likes most about working at Pierce High she responded, “The staff here is very helpful and amazing. The whole school is very well rounded and all on the same page, and I really like that.”
Mr. Johnston Joins the Bluejays
by Addison Sporleder
Mr. Tanner Johnston joined Pierce Jr./Sr. High School as the new teacher for World History, American History I, and General Math. Along with these, he will be assisting junior high football, varsity girls basketball, and junior class sponsor.
Johnston is originally from Lubbock, Texas, but now resides in Wausa with his wife, Carlie. He has two girls, Lennon, who is eight years old, and Baylor, who is six years old.
Johnston attended college at Wayne State and graduated with a degree in special education. He previously was a student teacher in Pierce at the elementary and high school. He worked with Mrs. Shelly Adams and Mrs. Lisa Jones in the special education rooms. Right before coming here, he filled in at Norfolk Middle School for a semester in the same department.
When asked what he liked most about Pierce so far, he replied, “Pierce has a good foundation of students.”
During his time outside of school, Johnston enjoys spending time with his family, golf, and running half-marathons with his wife.
Pierce High Welcomes New Staff Member: Alex Thramer
by Ella Gaes
Pierce High School is happy to announce a new teacher in the business department, Mr. Alex Thramer, who teaches Accounting 1, Intro to Business, and Real World. Thramer is a coach for junior high football and track as well as an assistant coach for Pierce’s boys basketball team.
To give a little background history about Thramer, he grew up in Ewing, Nebraska. After high school, Thramer attended college at Wayne State where he majored in business marketing and secondary education.
In Thramer’s free time, he enjoys watching and learning about any sport. He loves to spend time around family and friends, and he loves to golf.
Thamer’s motivation to join the education field all started when he was in high school. Thramer said, “I had a lot of amazing teachers and coaches in high school, and I wanted to be that for the students I would get to teach. I like being around kids and love to help them figure and problem solve to get to the solution.”
Thramer enjoys how hardworking and respectful the students and staff are. “The staff is great because they have helped me in so many ways.”
Pierce High Welcomes New Physical Education Instructor
by Claudia Riggert
Pierce Public Schools is excited to announce a new physical education instructor, Mr. Jack Shadley. He has taken over K-8 PE classes, and helps coach football, varsity boys basketball, and track.
A little about Shadley’s past is that he was raised and grew up in Columbus. His dad was a longtime teacher and coach, so he grew up around sports from an early age. He had a lot of great influences, such as his head high school football coach, who made him want to go into the profession he is in today.
He attended Doane University to get his K-12 physical education degree.
Shadley enjoys fishing, golfing, and hanging out with his family in his free time.
When asked about what he liked about working at Pierce so far, Shadley explained that the whole community has been so nice and welcoming, and he had a great time meeting all the coaches, teachers, and students during summer weights and camps.
PHS hopes the 2022-2023 school year will be a great one for Shadley, and he gets a great start to his Pierce career.
