FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting
August 23, 2021
Board of Trustees budget work session began at 5:00 pm. Julie Eichenberger reviewed the proposed budget and took
questions from the Board.
PRESENT: John Bartelsmeyer, Dave Elliott, Jim Fewins, Kirk Hart, Bill Meyer, and Robert Nelson
ALSO PRESENT: Alysia Johnston, President, Juley McDaniel, Board Clerk, faculty, staff, and community members
Chairman Bartelsmeyer called the meeting to order at 5:45 pm in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall. The meeting was opened
with the Pledge of Allegiance.
COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR: None
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: Don Banwart, representing Scott Township Board of Directors, reported that Scott
Township Rural Fire Department is seeking a location to house two fire trucks that don’t currently have a place to winter.
Mr. Banwart proposed a partnership between FSCC and Scott Township for the north portion of the Crawford Sales
building that was donated to FSCC.
CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Nelson, and carried by unanimous vote to approve
the consent agenda.
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:
A. A motion was made by Hart, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to hold the budget hearing for the
proposed 2021/22 budget on September 20, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall, and that the proper
notice be submitted to the Fort Scott Tribune for publication within the specified time limits in accordance with
K.S.A. 79-2929.
B. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to hold the revenue neutral
hearing for the proposed 2021/22 rate on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. in Cleaver-Burris-
Boileau Hall at Fort Scott Community College, and that the proper notice be submitted to the Fort Scott
Tribune for publication within the specified time limits in accordance with K.S.A. 79-1460, 79-1801,79-
2024,79-2925c.
C. A motion was made by Meyer, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote approve renovation of the
weight room at Hill Street to be completed by Tri-State Building for $474,364.
D. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Nelson, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the updated CTEC
Sublease Agreement.
E. A motion was made by Meyer, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the bid from Mid-
America Sports Construction to complete the turf field projects as outlined.
ITEMS FOR REVIEW: The Board reviewed letters of correspondence.
REPORTS:
A. ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES: The Board reviewed and heard reports from the Miami County Campus,
Gordon Parks Museum, Student Services, Instruction, Finance and Operations, and the President.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Trustees, a motion to adjourn was made at 7:09
p.m. by Nelson, seconded by Meyer, and carried by unanimous vote.
Chairman Clerk
7
Category Archives: Fort Scott Community College
FSCC Agenda for Sept. 20
September 20, 2021
Board of Trustees
Fort Scott Community College
2108 S. Horton
Fort Scott, KS 66701
The Board of Trustees of Fort Scott Community College will meet in regular session on Monday,
September 20, 2021. The meeting will be held in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall at Fort Scott
Community College.
5:00 p.m. Dinner in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall at 5:00 followed by regular board meeting at
5:30 p.m.
THE AGENDA
5:00 DINNER
5:30 ROLL CALL, 3
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
CALL TO ORDER, 4
A. Comments from the Chair, 4
B. KACCT Quarterly Update, 4
BUDGET HEARING, 5
A. Comments from the Chair, 5
B. Open Comments from the Board, 5
C. Approval of Budget Revenue Neutral Rate, 5
D. Review and Adoption of the 2021-22 Year Budget, 5
CONSENT AGENDA, 6
A. Approval of Agenda, 6
B. Approval of Minutes of previous Regular Board Meeting conducted on August 23, 2021, 7
C. Approval of Treasurer’s Report, Bills, and Claims, 8
D. Approval of Personnel Actions, 6
E. Approval of Gordon Parks Museum Board Members, 6
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS, 56
A. Consideration of KJUMP Symmetry Settlement Agreement, 56
B. Consideration of KJUMP Contract with WoodRiver Energy, 63
C. Approval of Alleyway and Chute Revision, Arnold Arena, 87
D. Discussion and Consideration of COVID Policies, 92
ITEMS FOR REVIEW, 93
REPORTS, 95
A. Administrative Updates, 95
EXECUTIVE SESSION, 121
ADJOURNMENT, 122
APPROVAL OF BUDGET REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE
Background: New to the 2021/2022 budget process is an additional approval the revenue neutral
rate (RNR) per K.S.A. 79-1460, 79-1801, 79-2024, 79-2925c.
Beginning with this budget cycle the County Clerk notifies each entity who receives a mill levy of their
revenue neutral rate for mill levy.
For Budget 2022 our revenue neutral rate notification from the County Clerk was 28.055.
For the last nine years, the administrative team at FSCC has taken pride in being able to keep our mill
levy relatively flat. For Fiscal Year 2021, our actual mill levy was 29.322 and for Fiscal Year 2022,
FSCC is budgeting the mill levy at 29.299 making this the tenth year.
Recommendation: Administration recommends that the Board approve the budgeted mill levy of
29.299 for Budget 2022, which slightly exceed the revenue neutral rate of 28.055.
To view the entire packet:
UPCOMING CALENDAR DATES:
• September 20, 2021: Board Meeting
• October 18, 2021: Board Meeting
• October 18, 2021: Math Relays
• November 15, 2021: Board Meeting
• November 22 – 26, 2021: Thanksgiving Break, Campus Closed
• November 30, 2021: Graduate Assessment Exam
• December 7 – 10, 2021: Finals
• December 13, 2021: Board Meeting
• December 17, 2021 – January 4, 2022 Christmas Break, Campus Closed
• January 7, 2022: In-Service
• January 12, 2022: Spring Semester Begins
• January 17, 2022: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Campus Closed
• January 24, 2022: Board Meeting
• February 21, 2022: Board Meeting
• March 14 – 18, 2022: Spring Break, Campus Closed
• March 21, 2022: Board Meeting
• March 25, 2022: Aggie Day
• April 15, 2022: Good Friday, Campus Closed
• April 18, 2022: Board Meeting
• May 10 – 13, 2022: Finals
• May 14, 2022: Graduation
• May 16, 2022: Board Meeting
• May 30, 2022: Memorial Day, Campus Closed
• June 20, 2022: Board Meeting
Sincerely,
John Bartelsmeyer, Chair
Alysia Johnston, President
FSCC’s vision for the future is to support “Students First, Community Always” through a
central focus on teaching and learning; advancing strong, innovative programs and
departments; maximizing and leveraging opportunities; initiating efficient and effective
processes; and developing the region’s workforce.
ROLL CALL
_____ John Bartelsmeyer
_____ Jim Fewins
_____ Dave Elliott
_____ Kirk Hart
_____ Bill Meyer
_____ Robert Nelson
FSCC offers trade classes in Linn County
Fort Scott, Kansas – Fort Scott Community College (FSCC) is pleased to anticipate offering technical classes in Linn County at Pleasanton School District’s recently acquired facility in Pleasanton. FSCC supports the mission of increasing technical opportunities for high school students in Linn County. Program exploration is currently occurring, which has already included surveying secondary students at Pleasanton High School, Jayhawk-Linn High School, and Prairie View High School.
Programs offered will be approved through the Kansas Board of Regents for Excel in CTE funding, which provides students the opportunity to complete technical college courses without being charged tuition and most fees. These programs will meet student interest and need in Linn County, while serving a regional workforce need for business and industry. FSCC is very pleased to work with all the districts in Bourbon, Linn, and Miami Counties to ensure we are meeting the needs of students within our service area.
The next steps involve working with the school districts to determine which program or programs will be offered at the facility. Following those decisions, the school district(s) will begin renovation of the facility to meet the needs of the program(s). The goal is for secondary students to be enrolled in classes at the technical facility in Linn County for the fall 2022 semester.
###
FSCC Receives Humanities Grant For Community Reading Project
TOPEKA – Humanities Kansas awarded $1,481.00 to the Fort Scott Community College Library last fall to support a community read project. Susie Arvidson serves as project director. Due to various COVID restrictions, the event was postponed. FSCC is pleased to announce that the community read project will kick off the week of September 6, 2021.
This project encourages the FSCC campus community to interact with the local communities in a common book reading and discussions club. The books to be read are A Choice of Weapons by Gordon Parks and The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore. Parks’ book was selected as this autobiography addresses the themes of racism, discrimination, and poverty and how the author chose to address and combat those issues. Moore’s book was selected as it addresses the issues of fate/choice, race, inequality, injustice, discipline, and violence culminating in the support of the theme of expressions of truth.
Readings will occur individually with a suggested reading timeline. Discussions will occur through in-person book discussions hosted on the college campus and various hosting locations throughout the community when possible. Synchronous virtual meetings are available upon request, as well as some discussion via social media. Finally, each reading and discussion will culminate with a guest speaker who will speak on the overall, central theme of culture and diversity.
The first book to be read will be the Gordon Parks book. The culminate during the Gordon Parks Celebration hosted by the Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College. This event will be an informal book discussion with John Mason, Associate Professor, , Associate Chair, University of Virginia Department of History and Eli Reed, Choice of Weapons Honoree.
“Humanities Kansas believes that communities are strengthened through the exchange of stories and ideas,” said Julie Mulvihill, Humanities Kansas Executive Director. “This project brings the people of Fort Scott together to read, discuss, and share experiences, encouraging community connection and engagement on significant topics.”
If you are interested in participating you can contact Susie Arvidson at [email protected] or call 620.223.2700, ext. 3441.
About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with our partners and supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.
###
FSCC Board Meeting Agenda For August 23
A budget discussion/workshop and dinner will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the meeting at 5:30.
August 23, 2021
Board of Trustees
Fort Scott Community College
2108 S. Horton
Fort Scott, KS 66701
The Board of Trustees of Fort Scott Community College will meet in regular session on Monday,
August 23, 2021. The meeting will be held in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall at Fort Scott
Community College.
5:00 p.m. Dinner and budget discussion at 5:00 followed by regular board meeting at 5:30
p.m.
THE AGENDA
5:00 DINNER AND BUDGET QUESTION/ANSWER SESSION
5:30 ROLL CALL, 3
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
CALL TO ORDER, 4
A. Comments from the Chair, 4
B. Comments from the Public, 4
CONSENT AGENDA, 5
A. Approval of Agenda, 5
B. Approval of Minutes of previous Regular Board Meeting conducted on July 19, 2021, 6
C. Approval of Treasurer’s Report, Bills, and Claims, 7
D. Approval of Personnel Actions, 5
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS, 56
A. Approval of Budget Publication and Hearing Date, 56
B. Approval of Budget Revenue Neutral Rate Publication and Hearing Date, 58
C. Consideration of Weight Room Renovation Bid, 60
D. Approval of CTEC Sublease Agreement, 63
E. Consideration of Turf Field Bids, 73
ITEMS FOR REVIEW,104
REPORTS, 107
A. Administrative Updates, 108
EXECUTIVE SESSION, 121
ADJOURNMENT, 122
1
UPCOMING CALENDAR DATES:
• August 23, 2021: Board Meeting
• September 6, 2021: Labor Day, Campus Closed
• September 13, 2021: Board Meeting
• October 18, 2021: Board Meeting
• October 18, 2021: Math Relays
• November 15, 2021: Board Meeting
• November 22 – 26, 2021: Thanksgiving Break, Campus Closed
• November 30, 2021: Graduate Assessment Exam
• December 7 – 10, 2021: Finals
• December 13, 2021: Board Meeting
• December 17, 2021 – January 4, 2022 Christmas Break, Campus Closed
• January 7, 2022: In-Service
• January 12, 2022: Spring Semester Begins
• January 17, 2022: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Campus Closed
• January 24, 2022: Board Meeting
• February 21, 2022: Board Meeting
• March 14 – 18, 2022: Spring Break, Campus Closed
• March 21, 2022: Board Meeting
• March 25, 2022: Aggie Day
• April 15, 2022: Good Friday, Campus Closed
• April 18, 2022: Board Meeting
• May 10 – 13, 2022: Finals
• May 14, 2022: Graduation
• May 16, 2022: Board Meeting
• May 30, 2022: Memorial Day, Campus Closed
• June 20, 2022: Board Meeting
Sincerely,
John Bartelsmeyer, Chair
Alysia Johnston, President
FSCC’s vision for the future is to support “Students First, Community Always” through a
central focus on teaching and learning; advancing strong, innovative programs and
departments; maximizing and leveraging opportunities; initiating efficient and effective
processes; and developing the region’s workforce.
2
ROLL CALL
_____ John Bartelsmeyer
_____ Jim Fewins
_____ Dave Elliott
_____ Kirk Hart
_____ Bill Meyer
_____ Robert Nelson
3
A. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
1) Attached are the minutes of the Regular Board Meeting conducted on July 19,
2021.
C. APPROVAL OF TREASURER’S REPORT, BILLS and CLAIMS
Attached are the Treasurer’s Report and the Bills and Claims Report.
D. APPROVAL OF PERSONNEL ACTIONS
1) Additions
a) Hunter Reed, Assistant Rodeo Coach, effective August 1, 2021
b) DeJuan Sherman, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, effective
c) Cale Griffiths, Custodian, effective August 9, 2021
d) Juan Gavette, Agriculture Instructor/Livestock Judging Coach, effective
August 23, 2021
2) Separations
a) Blake Davis, Agriculture Instructor/Livestock Judging Coach, effective July
31, 2021
b) Kyle Pugh, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, effective July 31, 2021
c) Trisha Hamm, Assistant Volleyball Coach, effective July 31, 2021
d) Jacoby Johnson, Academic Student Support Coordinator, effective July 31,
2021
e) Keena Schmidt, KS MEP Quality Control, effective August 31, 2021
To view the entire board packet:
8.23.21 Consent Agenda
FSCC Board Minutes of July 19
FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting
July 19, 2021
PRESENT: Dave Elliott, Jim Fewins, Kirk Hart, and Robert Nelson (acting Chair)
ALSO PRESENT: Alysia Johnston, President, Juley McDaniel, Board Clerk, faculty, and staff
Acting Chairman Nelson called the meeting to order at 5:32 pm in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall. The meeting was opened
with the Pledge of Allegiance.
COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR: None.
CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Hart, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the
consent agenda.
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:
A. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the Culinary
Memorandum of Understanding between SEKESC (Greenbush) and FSCC.
B. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Hart, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the Kansas State
Department of Education (KSDE) Migrant Education Project State Level Activities Agreement for 2021-22.
C. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to allow the interested party to
recover the fossil pods from the Fort Lincoln School rocks.
D. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Hart, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the contract with
Diehl, Banwart, Bolton, CPAs PA to audit financial statements for June 30, 2021.
E. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the bid from
Dissinger & Reed for Athletic Insurance and Catastrophic Injury Insurance for the 2021-22 year.
F. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the purchase of
rubber flooring for the Hound Pound from Abacus Surfaces for $13,176.00. A motion was made by Elliott,
seconded by Hart, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the purchase of artificial turf for the Hound Pound
from IGS, Inc. for $15,200.00
G. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to rename Garrison
Apartments to FSCC Garrison Hall.
H. A motion was made by Hart, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to approve staff raises that are in
the budget so they can begin to be paid to employees.
ITEMS FOR REVIEW: The Board reviewed letters of correspondence.
REPORTS:
A. ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES: The Board reviewed and heard reports from the Miami County Campus,
Gordon Parks Museum, Student Services, Instruction, Finance and Operations, and the President.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Trustees, a motion to adjourn was made at 6:40
p.m. by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote.
Chairman Clerk
FSCC COVID 19 Vaccine Clinic Today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
FSCC Men’s Basketball sells game day merchandise
Fort Scott Community College Men’s Basketball team over the years have been able to accessorize their basketball gear with numerous shirts, hoodies, masks, and even shoes thanks to the dedication of the community and booster supporters. Now the Hounds want to give the community the opportunity to “shop their closet” and purchase memorabilia from over the years. These items were made only for the players and not available to the public at the time. Now everything from practice gear and hoodies to shoes and travel jackets can be yours to show your Hound spirit this season.
“This is a great opportunity to purchase items and support and show spirit to the program and the student-athletes,” says Coach Cook.
All items will be available to view and purchase by contacting Coach Cook at [email protected] or follow them on social media. Proceeds from sales will go back to the FSCC Men’s Basketball Booster account for future purchases.
Business Expo At FSCC on August 18
|
|
|
|
|
|
FSCC Starts New Year With Normal Schedule, And COVID-19 Guidelines, Vaccine Clinic
Community schools are opening for the fall semester beginning this week. All are grappling with the newest surge of COVID-19 cases in the county and in the nation.
The first day of classes is August 12, with in-service for teachers yesterday at Fort Scott Community College.
“We are really looking forward to getting started this semester,” Adam Borth, FSCC Vice President of Academic Affairs said. “It is always exciting to see the students coming back or beginning college for the first time.”
“Most classes (offered) remain the same, however, we have added another section of welding during the afternoon,” he said. “We continue to review our programs and determine what course revisions are needed. At this point, we are trying to keep things fairly consistent while exploring options for new programs.”
They have hired new full-time instructors for this year: Sara Holder in nursing, Rachel Stauffer in biology, Kim Boyer in English, Brandon Fisher in welding, and Ashley Page in communications.
COVID-19 prevention policies
“Fort Scott Community College has updated our guidance for COVID-19 mitigation,” Borth said. “We will review the guidance every two weeks, or more frequently as needed.”
“Unvaccinated individuals are expected to wear masks on campus, while instructors have the discretion whether or not to require masks within their classroom or offices, where space is limited.
“Instructors will utilize the college Learning Management System (Blackboard) to provide students in quarantine and isolation course material; providing synchronous lectures via Zoom is not required.
“At this time, individuals who are vaccinated, not experiencing symptoms, and in close contact with someone who is positive do not need to quarantine.
“Individuals who test positive must isolate, regardless of vaccination status, and unvaccinated individuals who are a close contact of a positive case and notified by a health professional (e.g. health department) must quarantine.”
“We will have a no-charge COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Tuesday, August 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Bailey Hall, which is open to the public,” Borth said.
FSCC is still housing students at the former Mercy building on the west side.
“We are currently housing students in the (former Mercy) building and plan to do so during the fall semester at a minimum,” he said. “We are tenants in a monthly lease agreement, so plans can always be modified in that scenario.”
“The first day of classes is August 12 and the last day for students during the fall semester is December 10,” Borth said. “We are closed the full week of Thanksgiving. We resume classes on January 12, with Spring Break scheduled for March 14-18. Classes end for the spring semester on May 13, with graduation being Saturday, May 14.”
FSCC Business Expo is ON, August 18
“I am excited to announce that we WILL be able to have our annual Business Expo this year!,” Kassie Cate, Fort Scott Community College Director of Strategic Communications said. “It will take place on August 18th from 8:30 am to 11:30 am in Bailey Hall. If you know any businesses, churches, or organizations that would like to participate, please send them my way; space is limited.”
FSCC New Instructors: Kim Boyer, Sara Holder, Rachel Stauffer
There are several new instructors at Fort Scott Community College this year. This is part of a series to feature them.
Classes start on August 12.
Sara Holder, 44, is a new Fort Scott Community College Nursing Instructor. She will teach at the Burke Street Campus.
She is a graduate of William Jewell College in 1999 and has emergency room, same-day surgery experience, and has worked as a school nurse.
Her hometown is Kansas City.
Holder has been married to Bret for 22 years and has two high school-age students: Jet, a senior, and Kate, a junior.
In her spare time, she loves to watch her children compete in sports.
” I also love to decorate,” she said. ” My family serves veterans and actively fights against human trafficking.”
She was inspired to be a nurse “by all the excellent nurses I have worked with over the years,” she said. “I want to teach nursing students to be like them.”
For Holder, the best part of teaching is encouraging students to become safe, compassionate, caring nurses, she said.
What is the greatest challenge for her?
“The transition from being an expert nurse at the bedside taking care of patients for over 22 years, to a brand new instructor in the classroom teaching nursing students,” she said.
Rachel Stauffer, 40, is the new biology, anatomy, and physiology instructor. Her office and classroom are in Bailey Hall.
She earned an associate of applied science in veterinary technology from Maple Woods Community College, a bachelor of science in animal science from Missouri State University, a master of science in education with an emphasis in biology from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, and a specialist in education in educational leadership from Arkansas State University.
“I have taught middle school and high school science for 12 years,” she said. ” Most recently I taught biology, dual credit biology, and anatomy/physiology at El Dorado Springs High School.”
Her hometown is Stockton, MO but currently resides in El Dorado Springs, MO.
“My husband Matthew and I own a small cow/calf operation outside of El Dorado Springs,” Stauffer said. “My daughter, Macy, is active in 4-H and FFA showing cattle and goats. My son, Marshal, is also active in 4-H and enjoys showing cattle and pigs.”
“Following my kids to their activities and helping with the farm, in addition to teaching, keeps me busy,” she said. In addition, she has served as a county extension council member, president of the local teachers association, and a 4-H leader.
She found she enjoyed educating people while working as a veterinary technician.
Several people inspired her to teach.
“I have been blessed to have some great teachers and mentors as I have grown as a teacher and person, Stauffer said. “I had a fantastic high school biology teacher that inspired me.”
The best part of teaching for her is connecting with students and helping create an interest in science, she said.
“I like to find things that apply to their everyday lives and help them to understand those concepts better,” Stauffer said.
The greatest challenge in teaching is the current pandemic.
“Right now the greatest challenge facing us all of the uncertainty with COVID, she said. “Plans often need to be re-evaluated and changed week by week as the situation unfolds. It is up to us to try to maintain a routine for the students and provide them with an excellent educational experience.”
Kimberly Boyer, 52, is a new Fort Scott Community College English Instructor.
She earned a masters of arts in English from Emporia State University; a bachelor’s in education, 7-12 grade language arts; and speech communication from Chadron State College, Chadron, NE.
She has I5 years of experience teaching high school English, speech, and drama, most recently at St. Patrick’s Jr./Sr. High School in North Platte, NE. She was also the play production director and speech coach there.
For the past three years, she was a full-time writing lab assistant at Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte, NE.
Her hometown is Stapleton, NE.
Her family includes her husband, Bud, ” Who is continuing to run our ranch and trucking business in Nebraska.” They have three daughters, Brianna, Jennifer, and Nikki.
Outside of her job she loves to garden, listen to audiobooks, and bake.
She has been a judge for speech and play production competitions in Nebraska for the past 15 years.
“I attended small one-room country schools for most of my elementary school years…and was inspired by those teachers and originally intended to teach elementary school,” she said. However, she became involved with speech and drama and decided to teach high school so she could coach these activities, settling on a language arts career.
When her daughters began taking dual credit and online college courses in high school, she decided to pursue a master’s degree and search for a job in higher education, she said.
The best part of teaching for Boyer is getting to know the students and watching them succeed in the classroom or extra-curricular activities, she said.
In a previous job, she was able to work with traditional, non-traditional, and international students in the writing lab, student success center, and library, Boyer said. “I loved being able to show all these students how to improve their writing and research skills. However, I am looking forward to the opportunity to have my own classroom again.”
The greatest challenge in teaching for Boyer is engaging students who are in the class because they have to take English, she said. “However, English courses are more than just learning how to write complete sentences or organizing an essay. It involves critical thinking, research skills, sharing of ideas, and learning how to communicate effectively in several modalities.”