Staff Changes
LPS would like to welcome some other new staff members to our community and school, as well as congratulate some existing staff members on new positions and assignments!
Mrs. Rebecca Vega will be the interim 5-6 th grade teacher at LPS for the coming year. Mrs. Vega has been a substitute for our district for the past two years, and served as the long-term substitute for our 5-6 th grade classroom last spring. Mrs. Vega graduated from Suny Oneonta Teacher’ s College in Oneonta, New York in 2006. She taught for seven years in Rome City Schools, and five of those years were spent as a 5 th grade teacher. Mrs. Vega returned to Nebraska in August of 2014 and has been working as a substitute in the area since.
Mr. Brian Johnson has been selected as the new Industrial Technology and Agriculture instructor for the coming year. Alongside this position, Mr. Johnson will assume the role of FFA advisor, will be a liaison between the school and Trotter’ s Greenhouse, and will help facilitate the Farm-to-School movement at LPS. Mr. Johnson graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in the Science of Agriculture in 1998. Mr. Johnson has volunteered in the Ag program and with FFA in Broken Bow Schools and has experience in many facets of Agriculture.
Mrs. Leah Kenney has accepted the position of 7-12 science instructor at LPS for 2016-17. Mrs. Kenney is a graduate of the University of Nebraska. She obtained a degree in communication and psychology in May of 2015. Mrs. Kenney has been a part of an after-school mentoring program( the Bright Futures Program) and has been a substitute in Kearney High School. Her degree in Science Education comes from UNK.
Mrs. Michelle Buchanan will be the new junior high mathematics and reading teacher this year. Mrs. Buchanan’ s graduated with her Bachelor’ s in 1991 with a double major in elementary and middle level education from the University of Northern Colorado. She is endorsed in 4-9 mathematics instruction. In 1999, she received her Master’ s in Instructional Technology from Peru State College. Mrs. Buchanan taught 7 th grade mathematics at Ralston Public Schools for five years, while also coaching various sports. She then taught 8 th grade mathematics in Millard for two years. She met her husband, Tobin, and left teaching to stay home with her three boys- William, Beau, and Ben. Once they entered school, Mrs. Buchanan began teaching high school mathematics in Perkins County, where she stayed for three years. Mrs. Buchanan’ s family moved to Kearney a year ago, where she had been working as a substitute. Mrs. Buchanan’ s grandmother, Ellen Fisher Patton, got her very first teaching job at Litchfield, and partially because of that, Mrs. Buchanan is excited to teach here as it is“ already a special place” to her.
Mrs. Sherrie Klein will be joining LPS as a Special Education( SPED) instructor this year. She is a fourth-generation Nevadan. Her Bachelor’ s comes from Colorado State University, and her Master’ s in Special Education comes from the University of Nevada, Reno. Mrs. Klein has taught elementary, 6 th grade, 3 rd grade, physical education, art, resource, and special education over the course of the past 35 years in the Washoe County School District. She and her husband, Ed, who is from Hastings, NE moved to Ravenna last summer with their two cats, two dogs, and three horses. Mrs. Klein has a daughter, Emily, son-in-law Paul, two grandchildren- Molly, 8 and Joe, 6 in Reno, Nevada, and a son, David, who is currently serving in the Army in Seattle, Washington.
Mrs. Susan Poland has accepted the position of school guidance counselor for the coming year. After obtaining her degree in 2007, Mrs. Poland worked as a substitute and paraeducator at various schools in the area and taught summer school at Boy’ s Town in Omaha. In 2009, Mrs. Poland began teaching mathematics and reading to our 7 th and 8 th grade students at LPS. She has since taken on additional duties as a summer school instructor, head / creator of the After School Program, school improvement team member, president of the Litchfield Teacher Association, coach / creator of the“ Little Stackers” program, and class sponsor for the class of 2016. Mrs. Poland spent the past two years co-teaching counseling classes with Mrs. Kluender and has taught study skills, careers, and personal finance classes. During her time co-teaching, Mrs. Poland gained experience in student scheduling, high school student education plans, and many other parts of the role of guidance counselor.
Mr. Cannon Blauvelt is the current physical education and health instructor at LPS and will be assuming the role of Activities and Athletics Director this year. Mr. Blauvelt received his degree from Wayne State College in K-12 in Physical Education and Health, and is currently working on an Administrative Degree. Mr. Blauvelt has been with LPS for five years this year and has taken on many extra duties in that time, including coaching several sports, both boys and girls, at the high school and junior high levels. Mr. Blauvelt will work with Ansley’ s Activities Director, Jake Stokley, to coordinate the athletics department for our Ansley-Litchfield Spartans’ competitions, events, and practices.
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