PHS Teacher Talk
Getting to Know Mrs. Treva Dostal!
By Addison Sporleder
Mrs. Treva Dostal has been a friendly face up on the hill for many years. Dostal is the technology expert in the building, along with sponsoring robotics.
Her inspiration to become a teacher was her family members, as they all value the importance of education, and her brother taught for over 40 years. Dostal stated that “she bleeds blue.” She loves the opportunities and tools that are offered for students. She enjoys teaching at Pierce High because the community values its education.
On the other hand, her most embarrassing moment came from a halftime contest during a basketball game against Norfolk Catholic. She was playing knockout and missed her free throw, so she went to get her rebound and tore her achilles in front of the whole crowd. In the school hours, she never had a “worst” experience catching student cheating because it was quite obvious when she taught computer apps.
Outside of school, she likes to spend her summer break golfing and going to tractor pulls with her husband. However, everyone knows that she is a busy lady during the summer as well with working on the computers for the new year. She typically spends her Saturday night with her husband and other friends, as they like to go on a road trip and find a different place to eat each weekend. Two fun facts about Dostal are that she can twirl the baton and play the clarinet.
Dostal’s dream vacation would consist of going back to Europe and seeing more countries that she did not get to see before. If she won the lottery, she would start her house plan and travel everywhere.
One thing that baffles Mrs. Dostal is the amount of people that are mean to one another on social media.
A Glimpse into the Life of Amy Barnhill
By Brooke Reddest
Amy Barnhill has recently switched from being a choir teacher at Norfolk Catholic to Pierce two years ago. She has been a choir teacher for 17 years in total.
Barnhill states, “It could have been 25 years (of teaching), but I took a few years off.” Barnhill took a five-year break from teaching in the years 2008 through 2013 because she and her husband decided to open Midwest Music Center in Norfolk. Pierce is the sixth school she’s been the choir teacher for.
“I’ve always loved singing,” she says. “My music teacher got me to try out for a small group when I was in fifth grade, and it was a select group. I made it, and I was in there for about four or five years.”
Senior choir member Bethany Kaup states, “What I like about Mrs. Barnhill is that she actually takes time to work on the things we need to work on.”
Barnhill’s favorite thing about Pierce is that it’s small, and she gets the chance to know and work with everyone individually. She plans on holding her ground here at Pierce for a while.
Walking in the Shoes of Mrs. Brodersen
By Natalie Kosch
There are many things and topics we do not know about our beloved teachers at Pierce High. After sitting down and talking with Mrs. Angie Brodersen, here is the inside scoop.
Brodersen entered the field of education when she was 34 years old with a different perspective than most who enter the field in their early 20s. She comments, “I felt compelled to do my part to change the lives of others in a positive way and help build tomorrow’s leaders.” This was overall her inspiration to start her teaching career.
Dylan Cerny, who teaches in the same hallway as Brodersen, comments, “She is a great neighbor in the building, and I know that if I ever need anything she would help me out.”
Throughout her years of teaching Brodersen’s most creative punishment for students is having them clean the kitchen floors when they are disrespectful to their peers or her.
In her time off from school, Brodersen’s dream vacation would be somewhere warm with rich culture and to have no plans and just relax.
During her summer vacation she spends as much time with family doing various activities such as attending her kids’ sporting events, working outside, and boating. She also likes to soak up the sun and help on the farm.
Brodersen also says that if she was to win the lottery, she would buy farmland and keep a secret fund for her kids that they would not know about until they are older. She also would give to some youth based programs and religious organizations.
Life advice Brodersen would give is, “You are only as good as your word.”
Teacher Talks with Mr. Bretschneider
By Addison Croghan
Wanting to know more about the dear Pierce High teachers? Teaching senior government and seventh grade civics, Mr. Brock Bretschneider revealed some of his unknown interests and beliefs.
Starting on the school side of things, Bretschneider saw helping students appreciate social studies more is what really motivated him to teach. Being new at Pierce High, Bretschneider loves that everyone at Pierce High has a passion for something.
Continuing, Bretschneider admitted that kissing a goat was definitely his most embarrassing teaching experience. Switching the roles of embarrassment, his worst experience with catching a student cheating would be having a student with printed screenshots that were the size of a cell phone, taped onto their cell phone.
The most creative punishment Bretschneider has ever given a student would be having seniors stare really intimidatingly at seventh graders for being obnoxious. Abram Scholting, a student in senior government, comments, “He always wants all his students to do well and wants the opportunity for everyone to excel.”
On to some non-academic things, Bretschneider has some hidden talents that nobody knows. This involves crocheting, cross stitching, and ultimately, the board game Risk.
A dream vacation for Bretschneider would be exploring the architecture of Europe. If he were to win the lottery, Bretschneider would build a theater for the school, buy a new house, and put the rest in investments.
Some trends that baffle Bretschneider would be Crocs, any type of hydro flasks, and all Tik Tok trends. Onto slang terms, his favorite term would be “Love that for you” and then his least favorite is “sus.”
In his break time from school, Bretschneider loves walking and biking around town, spending quality time with his child, catching up on shows, reading, and other crafts.
To finish up, a typical Saturday night for Bretschneider would be relaxing with his wife and catching up on school work.
Teacher Talk with Katie Brummels
By Sierra Sonnenfelt
Mrs. Kathleen Brummels has been teaching for almost eight years at Pierce. She teaches science applications, chemistry 1 and 2, and physics. She also coaches junior high volleyball and is the junior class sponsor. While people may know the curriculum of some of her classes, here are some things you might not have known.
Brummel's most embarrassing moment while being a teacher here has been at the assemblies. Specifically, she remembers being a new teacher and always being chosen first to be in the chaotic activities the school entertains with.
All teachers wind up catching students cheating at least at some point in their careers. The most memorable instance for Brummels was one singular student who thought she could borrow some old worksheets from a friend. “This particular student brought every single paper from a friend who had taken my class before to class. I remember seeing such a huge stack of papers on the desk and wondering how this student didn’t think I would notice.” Needless to say, that student did not get an A on that assignment.
Brummels says her favorite thing about Pierce High is the class size. “Because the class sizes are so small, the students get a more one-on-one connection with teachers. Being on the same page as students makes teaching much more interesting, for sure.”
Brummels said if she won the lottery she would begin building construction on her new house or upgrade the legendary minivan.
Although she is baffled by the development of the new generation, she did state that her favorite new slang term is “sus”, but her least favorite would have to be the word “bussin.”
Mr. Tyler Legate, who teaches right across the hall from Brummels, describes, “She's very understanding to everyone and always ready to help out when needed.”
