Over the next few weeks, The Herald-Chronicle will introduce the new employees at each of Osage County’s nine campuses. This week we include new teachers from Lyndon Schools, Santa Fe Trail High School, Scranton Attendance Center and Melvern Elementary School.

Lyndon schools add seven to staff

Mandy Boss will be a ninth and 11th grade English and oral communications teacher at Lyndon High School. She lives in the Lyndon area. She graduated from Eureka High School and Pittsburg State University. She student taught seventh grade communications and English at Pittsburg Middle School. She plans to earn a master’s degree as a library media specialist. She wants to inspire her students to love literature and English as she does. She plans to become active and involved in the community. She loves reading and will read anything once. She coaches volleyball and plays sand volleyball.

Sean Cochran joined Lyndon High School as a special education instructor. He is engaged to Carrie Owens, a hair stylist. He is presently living in Topeka. He graduated from Washburn Rural High School, Washburn University and Baker University. He previously taught for three years at Shawnee Heights Middle School. He plans to continue his education in administration. His goal is to work hard and improve every day. He enjoys golfing and spending his time with his family.

Ruth DeLange is Lyndon High School’s new technology educator and yearbook sponsor. She is married to Michael DeLange, who teaches high school social studies at Iola High School. They presently live in New Strawn. She is a graduate of Emporia High School and Pittsburg State University. She previously taught at Emporia Middle School in technology education. She plans to complete her master’s degree. She is looking forward to getting to know the students and learning about the school and Lyndon community. She wants to build a stronger Technology Student Association program and ensure that the yearbook is put together successfully. She enjoys playing games, from team games to card games.

Darren Dreier serves Lyndon schools as the technology director. He lives in Lyndon. He is a graduate of Mission Valley High School and Flint Hills Vocational Technical College. He previously provided technical support at Mission Valley schools. His goals for the upcoming school year are to improve technology in the school to better assist teachers and students. He enjoys watching and participating in sports and playing computer games.

Claire Gordon is the Lyndon High School cheer coach and teaches second grade. A Lyndon resident, she is engaged to Grant Miller, a carpenter. She is a graduate of Marysville High School and Kansas State University, and previously taught third grade at Marysville. She plans to continue her education and obtain a master’s degree in school counseling. She wants to prepare her students for third grade, do as many hands-on activities as possible and have fun. She enjoys dance, swimming, spending time with family and friends, and planning her wedding.

Tiffany McCain teaches first grade at Lyndon Elementary. She is married to Josh McCain who is a technician. They have a seven-week-old son, Corbin, and the family lives at Vassar. She is a graduate of Hayden High School and Pittsburg State University. She previously taught kindergarten and Title I Reading. She looks forward to working with the staff as they guide students to become successful lifelong learners. She enjoys boating, fishing and shopping.

Amanda Neff joins Lyndon Elementary School as a sixth grade teacher in math, social studies and health. Her husband, Brandon, is an airplane mechanic at Coffey County Airport. The couple lives in Gridley. She is a graduate of Winfield High School, Bethany College and Emporia State University. She was a student teacher of fifth and sixth grade at Lebo Elementary School. She feels she will be very busy as a first-year teacher and head middle school volleyball coach. Her goals for the year are numerous, but she plans to continue learning and making mistakes. She feels you can only get better by learning from your mistakes. She loves spending time with her husband, dog, family and friends, and enjoys all sports and physical activity.

Santa Fe Trail High School

Patrick Graham is the new assistant principal and athletic director at Santa Fe Trail High School. He is married with three children and they reside in Overbrook. He is a graduate of Santa Fe Trail High School, and earned an undergraduate degree at Washburn University and a master’s degree from Emporia State University. This will be his fourth year as a high school administrator. He plans to begin his doctorate sometime soon.
Graham is happy to be back home and is really excited about the great school year ahead. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family.

Shelley Thull is teaching high school physics and algebra at Santa Fe Trail High School. She lives her husband, Tom, and their two children, Andrew Thull and Casey Thull Phillips, in Topeka.
Thull graduated from Kansas State University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in secondary education – math and science. She previously taught at Lawrence Free State High School, Haven High School and Newton High School. Her goal for the year is to prepare her students to be lifelong learners of math and science and successful in their careers.

Terry Stanton is the industrial technology teacher at Santa Fe Trail High School. He lives outside of Topeka with his wife, Debbie, and his two children and two stepchildren. He is a graduate of Emporia State University with a bachelor’s degree in education and earned his master’s degree in education at Washburn University. Stanton had previously worked at SFT, but resigned to start a business building homes. With the onset of the slow housing market, combined with his desire to get back into teaching, Stanton returns to the district.
His goal is to provide opportunities for students to learn about technology and hands on activities.

Eric Staab will teach world history, world wars and eastern geography at Santa Fe Trail High School. He will also be the assistant boys basketball coach and assistant baseball coach. Staab is a graduate of Minnesota State University-Moorhead and has taught for the past seven years at South Gray in Montezuma. He lives in Topeka and is engaged to Heather Ralston. An October wedding is planned. Staab’s goal for this year is to have the students enjoy learning about social studies while fulfilling the state standards. His interests include family, travel, softball and following the Minnesota Gophers.

Other new staff members at Santa Fe Trail High School include Becky Goodman and Heather Berckefeldt. Their questionnaires were not received in time to be included in this article.

Scranton Attendance Center

Lisa Crook is a health aide at Scranton Attendance Center. Her husband, David, is an associate pastor at Grace Community Church in Overbrook. They have four children, Michelle 17, Faith 15, Michael 13, and Danielle 11, and they reside in Overbrook. Crook graduated from Santa Fe Trail High School and attended Allen County Community College, Kansas University and Barton County Community College, where she earned an associates degree. She is taking online courses from Fort Hays State University, with plans to graduate in May 2009. She worked in the transportation department for Tonganoxie, as a para educator at Pauline South and was a substitute teacher in the Macksville schools. She hopes to get to know everyone at SAC and give them the care they need.
Crook’s hobbies include skiing, reading, watching movies, cross-stitching and spending time with family and friends.

Marais des Cygnes Valley Elementary

Judy Lacey is a first grade teacher at Marais des Cygnes Valley Elementary School. She is married to Mark Lacey, who farms and runs a cattle operation with his father and brother. They live in Melvern with their children Bayleigh 6, and Cole 5. She graduated from Hallsville High School in Hallsville, Texas. She attended Kilgore College, Kilgore, Texas and graduated from Emporia State University with a degree in elementary education, and a concentration in special education. She has taught special education in Sterling, Colo., and was a long-term substitute at MdCV last year. Her goal for the coming year is for her students to have a positive and enriching school year. She enjoys scrapbooking with girlfriends, and spending time with her family.