This is part of a series featuring the 26 new educators in USD 234. The first day of classes is August 18.
Suzan Durnell, 53, is a new elementary instructional coach who works with teachers and students at both Winfield Scott and Eugene Ware Elementary Schools in Fort Scott.
She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from College of the Ozarks, a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Missouri State University, and a Master’s Degree in Library Science and Information Services from University of Central Missouri.
Durnell taught fifth and sixth grades in Galena, MO, second grade in Aurora, MO, then third, second, and K-5th library skills (including reading and technology). In her 30 years of teaching she worked as a trainer for the Missouri Reading Initiative providing professional development and instructional coaching.
“I was raised in Vandalia, Missouri, graduated from Greenfield, Missouri, and have raised my own family in El Dorado Springs, Missouri. I claim each of these places as a hometown!”
Her husband, Mike will be teaching high school math at Fort Scott High School. They have been married for 31 years and recently moved to Nevada. They have two grown daughters. Jenna and her husband Quade live in Nixa, Missouri, where she works as a CPA, and Quade works as a Family Nurse Practitioner in Springfield, Missouri. Tessa and her husband, Kip, live in Hays, Kansas, where she works as an autism specialist and Kip teaches and coaches at Hays High School.
“My passion is education,” she said. “I have been fortunate to work in a field I love for all these years. I’m excited to extend my career in Fort Scott.”
“My father (a teacher, coach, principal, then superintendent) inspired my love of school,” she said. “My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Forgy, made teaching something I aspired to do.”
“The best part of teaching is the joy,” she said. “It might be joy in teaching a fun topic, joy in watching a student grasp a concept, joy in creating a community of learners, joy in play, or joy in working with talented colleagues. There’s always something that reminds me how very important the field of education is every day.”
“For me, it is a challenge to remain knowledgeable about how kids learn best. We’re learning more and more about the developing brain and how best to approach teaching. To make that even more challenging, kids’ brains are changing as they’re exposed to more technology than ever before. I feel responsible to stay on top of the most recent developments, and that’s hard to do.”
Outside of teaching she loves baking, shopping, coffee with friends, walking, and family time. And she said her family enjoys being involved in their church, Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene.
“Teaching is actually my second career to pursue,” she said. “I was an adoption specialist after receiving my bachelors in sociology in 2004. As a mom of school ages kids, I saw firsthand what a difference teachers can make in children’s lives. My kids had some great teachers who really inspired me to want to be that difference for other students. I’ve always admired my sister-in-law, Cristin Stark who has been an elementary teacher for years. I started sharing this new dream with her and she was a huge support during my journey to get here.”