There are two school districts in Bourbon County, USD 234, Fort Scott, and USD 235, Uniontown.

This is part of a series featuring new teachers in the districts.

Uniontown schools have enrollment for the 2024-25 year on July 25-26 and the first day of school is August 15.

Uniontown has four new teachers and one new principal.

The school has a new telephone number: 620.224.2350.

Caitlin Shrewsbury, 31,  is a new third-grade teacher at West Bourbon Elementary School, Uniontown.

“I received my Bachelor’s of Science in Education at Pittsburg State University, as well as my Master’s of Science in elementary teaching,” she said. “I did my student teaching at WBE and I am now back in the very same classroom! I taught 3rd grade at Eugene Ware for 8 wonderful years.”

“I enjoy coaching my daughter’s t-ball team as well as teaching summer school for several years. My husband and I love to attend local fundraisers and charity events.”

Her husband, Weston, runs his own small cattle business and they have two daughters; Zaley (5) and Sway (2).

“The best thing about being an educator is the relationships you build with your students and colleagues. These relationships last a lifetime!”

“The biggest challenge I have seen lately is what they call teacher burnout. It is no easy job!”

Susan Harris, Hepler,  will be the 7th and 8th-grade math and high school speech, debate/forensics teacher at Uniontown Junior High School for the 2024-25 school year.

Susan has a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Education, Speech, Drama, Forensics/Debate; a Master’s in K-12 Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL); and a Master’s in K-12 Special Education. She has endorsements in 5th-9th Math, English, Social Science, and Science. She just completed her 25th year of teaching.

Prior to her twenty-five years in education, she was a hair stylist for sixteen years, owning her own salon in Hepler until she and her husband, Brian, received a grant to attend college.

It was grant designated for farmers who were suffering through the farm crisis of the 80s and 90s.

It was challenging for her and her husband to manage a farming operation while raising their three children, attending college, and working, she said.

Harris’s response to any student who says they don’t think they can attend college is that they  “might surprise themselves at the challenges they can overcome.”

She says the best thing about being an educator is building up your students’ faith in their own abilities until they can overcome their own challenges.

Harris currently serves on the Hepler Library Executive Board; she was the teacher representative for the USD 101 Site Council; and she served as the local Vice-Chair and Chair of the ANW-Kansas-National Education Association (KNEA) where she attended many leadership trainings and Representative Assemblies in Topeka, Wichita, and Washington DC.

She has three children, eight grandchildren, “and one grandbaby angel.” She enjoys attending her grandchildren’s plays, and ball games, and ” just hanging out with them while they are young.”

Harris states that though she will miss her former students and co-workers, she is proud to say she is a Uniountown Eagle and looks forward to building relationships with her new students and co-workers.