Longtime teacher resigns; three are hired for 2023-24

    After a resignation and three new hires Tuesday night, Chase County Schools still has six positions yet to fill for the 2023-24 school year.
    Longtime language arts teacher Jill Bauerle tendered her resignation Tuesday, after more than two decades at CCS
    Bauerle’s first year at CCS was 1988, and after several years, she took a break, returning in 2008 until now. In her resignation letter, she said she is open to substituting or a part-time teaching position if the opportunity arises.
    Supt. Adam Lambert thanked Bauerle, saying, “A lot of our successes here are due to her and she will be missed.”
    Several board members noted their appreciation of her, including Willy O’Neil, mentioning he enjoyed her as a teacher himself when he attended CCS.
    Three new teachers were hired—one recent graduate, one who’ll graduate in May and a third who’s been a CCS para and substitute teacher.
    Julie Sparrow was hired as an elementary teacher, and is a familiar face to the current teaching staff. She’s been a para and substitute for the last 6 years, and started taking classes at Chadron State College in 2021 to obtain her teaching license.
    Sparrow, the former Julie Long, grew up in Wauneta, graduating from WP High School in 2002. She earned a business/accounting degree from Midland Lutheran College in 2006.
    She and husband Jon moved back to the family farm in 2016 with children Violet and Adam, 7th and 5th graders at CCS.
    Another teacher hired also has roots in Chase County. Adelaide Maxwell will teach in the elementary grades this fall.
    Maxwell expects to graduate in May from the University of Nebraska-Kearney with an Elementary Education Degree.
    She attended Mid-Plains Community College from 2017-19, then transferred to UNK, and is now student teaching grades 3-4 math and reading at Perkins County Schools in Grant.
    Maxwell also has work and volunteer experience at Smiling Faces Academy and PAWS University, both in Kearney.
    Jason Jensen of Dorchester was hired middle school physical education teacher. He will likely teach grades 5-6 PE and possibly kindergarten classes, Supt. Lambert said.
    Jensen earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in K-12 Physical/Health Education from Doane University in the fall 2022.
    He is currently a PE/Health teacher and also teaches high school strength and conditioning classes at Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools. He has additional experience at elementary and middle schools in Crete.
    Jensen coached football at Wilber-Clatonia and has also been a Legion and youth baseball coach.
    Supt. Lambert noted specific elementary grade levels for Sparrow and Maxwell weren’t determined as of Tuesday because of possible shifting of classroom teachers this fall.
Six positions still open
    CCS still has six teaching posts to fill. Three of those are positions that aren’t on staff now or weren’t filled for this school year, Supt. Lambert said.
    Current positions unfilled include a K-6 elementary counselor, along with 7th grade and high school English/Language Arts.
    CCS was unable to fill the K-6 Title I Teacher post this year. Lambert said other staff has been covering those duties.
    Two new positions for 2023-24 approved earlier this year by the board are yet to be filled—grade 8-12 technology and a middle level special education teacher.