This is part of a series featuring new teachers in our community.
Angella Curran is the new Fort Scott High School Speech and Debate/Forensics teacher.
Name: Angella Curran
Title of position: High School Speech and Debate/Forensics
Education: BA Communications, MA Teaching, both from Pitt State
Experience: Six years in Lamar, MO, four years in Frontenac, KS
Age: 35
Family: Son, age 13, attends PCMS
Affiliations: National Speech and Debate Association, Women Helping Women of Pittsburg, KS.
Why did you choose education as a career?
“I worked for AmeriCorps in 2004 and was placed as a tutor in an inner-city Baltimore school. I immediately connected with the students and decided that was the path I wanted to take once I returned to college.”
What is the first on your list of priorities for the position?
“My first priority is to build relationships with students and continue building the already amazing Debate and Forensics team.”
Memorabilia is coming out of storage and at least one piece has inspired a new beer.
“We will be unveiling the Fort Scott Indian Princess, Friday, August 24 at 4 p.m.,” according to an email from Barbara Ritter, owner of The Boiler Room Brewhaus. “We will also be featuring a namesake beer that has locally sourced peaches.”
“It’s a cream ale, conditioned with peaches beer,” said Bryan Ritter, the brewer.
The wooden Indian is on loan from the Historic Preservation Association, along with other memorabilia, such as old Fort Scott High School and railroad items, for the public to view.
The microbrewery is located at the corner of National Avenue and Wall Street, at 10 S. National.
According to information provided to the Brewhaus from the HPA below, the Indian maiden was in front of a tobacco store on North Main Street in Fort Scott, circa 1869. The store was owned by Frank Boyle, who was the city’s mayor from 1871-72.
A photograph of the piece written by Jane Rodewald in 1990 on the Indian Maiden, that was at one time displayed in the Ralph Richards Museum. The statute is now displayed at the Boiler Room Brewhaus.The brewer of Boiler Room Brewhaus, Bryan Ritter, has produced a special ale in honor of the wooden Indian, called Fort Princess Cream Ale.The Boiler Room Brewhaus is located at 10 S. National.
Hours for the microbrewery are Thursday-Friday from 4-10 p.m.
Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 7 p.m.
Contact them at 620-644-5032.
For additional information on the business, click on the links below:
The Boer Goats are coming! The Boer Goats are coming!
And due to a happenstance, they have been coming annually to Fort Scott for three years.
“This will be the third year ( the Heartland Showcase Boer Goat Sale) will be held in Fort Scott as we are in the middle of the area of people raising Boer Goats,” Allen Warren, with the Bourbon County Fairgrounds Board, said.
What is a Boer Goat?
“The development of the Boer goat in the early 1900’s can be traced to the Dutch farmers of South Africa. Boer is a Dutch word meaning farmer. With meat production setting the selection criteria, the Dutch farmers developed the Boer goat as a unique breed of livestock. The Boer goat has a rapid growth rate, excellent carcass qualities and is highly adapted to different environments,” according to http://abga.org/about-abga/history/“
“They (the Heartland Showcase Boer Goat Sale organizers) originally held their first sale in Columbus,” Warren said.
There was a lack of hotels and restaurants in Columbus, according to Warren.
“As some of the officers were on their way home to Nebraska, they drove through Fort Scott and decided to see what kind of a Fairground and facility we had to offer,” Warren said. “The next day they called the K-State Extension Office and got my telephone number. This developed into the relationship we have today. They feel our facilities and our community has a lot of what they were looking for.”
“We heard that they were a good location, centrally located. Fort Scott seemed to be the perfect fit,” Lisa Stripe, co-owner of the sale, said. “We generally have 12 different farms bringing their goats into the sale. Usually the crowd draws 100-150 people.”
The Stripes are from Humeston, Iowa.
“We personally got started because as a kid Ithought it would be fun to have some. Later, I bought some behind my husband’s back.”
“They are good animals for kids in 4-H or FFA because they are gentle, the kids are less likely to get hurt versus a cow or calf.”
“I would like to thank the businesses , the motels the fairgrounds,” Stripe said. “We couldn’t ask for a better place to have the sale.”
Viewing of the animals is from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, August 18 and again Sunday August 19. The sale will be Sunday at noon at the fairgrounds.
You may contact Lisa Stripe at 402-759-5497 or Jill Lanham at 402-984-8344 for more information about this event
This is a series featuring new teachers in our community.
Alicia Hansen is the new Fort Scott Middle School Social Studies teacher.
Name: Alicia Hansen
Title of position: 8th Grade Social Studies
Education:
• Associates of Science from Fort Scott Community College
• Bachelors in History/Government from Pitt State
• Working on my Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Experience:
Four years in Gardner-
• Three years as an English as a Second Language teacher for 5th and 8th grade
• One year as a 7th grade Social Studies
Age: 29
Family:
Just got engaged! My two dogs, five cats (promise I’m not a crazy cat lady…), a “micro” pig, and five horses
Why did you choose education as a career?
I grew up participating in 4-H, and as I got older, my leadership projects started to revolve around how to help the younger kids in the club. I really enjoyed working with the kids, and have always been a history nerd, so I decided to combine the two into one and became a history teacher!
What is the first on your list of priorities for the position?
My main priority in the classroom is building positive relationships with the kids. I want them to know that there is at least one person in their life that truly cares about them and is in their corner whenever they need someone. Then comes The Declaration of Independence and the Civil War 😉
Title of position: Title Reading and Math at Eugene Ware Elementary School
Education: BS from MSU Springfield; MS from PSU Pittsburg.
Experience: 28 years
Family: She lives in Nevada, MO with husband, David. They have five sons, Matt Lindsay; Cody Claflin and his wife Taylor, and their two children Cade and Cameron; Colt Regers; Clay Regers and his wife Cydnee, and Jack Lindsay.
Why did you choose education as a career?
My Aunt Helen was my fifth and six grade teacher and was a real inspiration to me, and one of the reasons I pursued teaching as a career. Her ability to guide students, her fairness, and her compassion made me want to provide the same things to my own students.
What is the first on your list of priorities for the position?
To develop connections and relationships with my students and to get to know the styles of learning that best suits them.
For those of you waiting for Arby’s Restaurant completion, it is coming.
“Although I can’t provide you with an exact date for our Grand Opening in Fort Scott, I’m told that we are indeed on track for a mid-September opening,” said Fred Fleischner, Vice President, Corporate Communications, United States Beef Corporation.
“We have hired a General Manager,” Fleischner said. “Her name is Cassandra Bosley from Fort Scott.”
“We still have openings we’re looking to fill,” he said.
The restaurant is located on South Main in what was the former Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant.
Arby’s is holding interviews every Tuesday afternoon, from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm at the Sleep Inn & Suites conference room at 302 E. Wall Street in Fort Scott.
“We’ll be there for at least the next 2-4 weeks until our restaurant is closer to completion,” Fleischner said. “Those wishing to apply for work at this new Arby’s restaurant can also do so online at www.work4arbys.com.”
The contractor for the project is Coast to Coast Builders, Wichita.
Heather Davis is the biology instructor at Fort Scott Community College.
This is part of a series of profiles of new teachers in our community.
Dr. Heather Davis is the new biology instructor at Fort Scott Community College.
Name: Dr. Heather Davis
Title of position: Biology Instructor, Fort Scott Community College
Education: Fort Scott High School 2006, Associate of Science- Cowley College 2008, Bachelor of Science in Biology- Pittsburg State University 2010, Master of Science & Doctor of Chiropractic- Logan College 2014
Experience: No prior formal teaching experience, but extensive education and background in the sciences.
Age: 30
Family: Husband-Dr. Grant Hartman, children-Zoey (age 2) and Zeke (age 3 months), late father-Tom Davis, mother-Cindy Davis, parents-in-law- Brad and Robin Hartman, Grandparents-in-law-the late Ron Billiard and Karen Billiard.
Affiliations:
“I have been in private practice with my husband at Hartman Spine & Joint for three years practicing functional medicine, which relies extensively on knowledge of human biology, anatomy, physiology, laboratory evaluation, nutrition and performance. While I will still be practicing part time, I am excited to start my teaching career.”
Why did you choose education as a career?
“I found that in private practice, I was teaching patients one-on-one every single day, something I did not realize would happen to this extent. I finally recognized my passion for teaching and, paired with my love of science, formal teaching just made sense. It is also a way for me to be more involved in the community, develop relationships, influence more people, and be involved in something bigger.
What is the first on your list of priorities for the position?
“Ensure each and every student in my classroom develops a basic understanding of the world around them, lead more students to the sciences, and foster relationships with local high schools to enable students to work ahead.”
The is one of a series of profiles of new teachers in our community.
Abby Stepps is a new Fifth Grade Teacher at Eugene Ware Elementary School.
Name: Abby Stepps
Title: 5th Grade Elementary Teacher
Education: Fort Scott Community College and at Pittsburg State University, with a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education.
Experience: She began teaching in 2009 in Nevada, MO. Taught in Fort Scott in 2012 one year, then Nevada in 2013 until the present.
Family: Husband, Trent Stepps, a Fort Scott Alumni and has two “beautiful daughters.”
Why did you become an educator?
“I once had a teacher make me feel as though I could conquer the world. She made me feel important and a part of something bigger than I was. Inside her classroom, I could be myself and at the same time anyone/anything I wanted to be, she IS the reason I chose education as my career, Mrs. Scott, 4th grade, in Neosho, Missouri.”
What is first on your list of priorities for the position?
“I hope to bring a feeling of newness and rigor to the 5th-grade crew at Eugene Ware. I am very excited to be working with such great teachers! This year will be wonderful!”
