There are four new teachers this year. One of these teachers was actually a para teacher in Cannon Falls last year. Now, he teaches Geometry, Intro to College Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, and Probability and Statistics. Dylan Salley is spending his first year of teaching as a licensed teacher in the math department. The adjustment of working here at this high school won’t be difficult for him, however. “I graduated from CFHS in 2019, so I am very familiar with the building, schedule, [and] culture.” Not to mention, Salley is also familiar with his coworkers, as some of them taught him while he was in high school themselves.
Another teacher in the core subjects department is Jade Fransen. Currently, she teaches Language Arts 10, Drama, College Prep Writing, Novels, and Science Fiction Literature. It is her fifth year teaching, so she has some experience already. Fransen also loves Cannon Falls High School’s size. “I love how small this school is. Everyone knows each other and all of the students are so respectful and driven.” she is also looking forward to helping students in her class learn and even find out new things about them in return.
The last two teachers teach classes that aren’t in the high school hallway, but instead are located in different hallways within the school. Bonnie Thoe-Austin is found in the Industrial Arts department of Cannon Falls High/Middle School. She teaches Woodworking, Small Engines, and eighth-grade STEM. It’s her nineteenth year teaching. “My own kids go to Cannon Falls Elementary School, which is awesome to be with them,” Thoe-Austin found to be her favorite aspect of teaching here at the High School.
Brody Hogenson teaches seventh and eighth grade PE, and two hours of ninth and tenth grade Health. Like Salley, it is also Hogenson’s first full year as an official teacher with a classroom, but he too has some experience. “Last year, I taught for a half year as a long-term substitute PE teacher at Lincoln Park Middle School in Duluth.” As it’s his first year here at Cannon Falls, Hogenson also mentioned that the staff and students here are great.
In addition to new teachers, some familiar faces from past years have returned. Last year, a few teachers who retired came back. This includes Bucky Lindow. Even though Lindow came back last year, he is considered a “new” teacher this year once more because he now teaches a new class and he was planning to retire again last year. The reason he came back though is because Danielle Hudy, a science teacher, is on maternity leave. Currently, he teaches ninth-grade Physical Science and one class of seventh-grade STEM. Lindow has been teaching for thirty-six years and used to teach Math before he decided to retire. Although he had originally planned to retire last year, he still had a positive response to teaching again this year. “I am very excited to still be teaching,” he said.
Another teacher who came back to Cannon Falls High School this year is Sue Franke-Clark who used to be in the music department before she retired. Now, she is back as a Choir teacher and teaches all Choir classes. Franke-Clark has also been teaching much longer than Lindow. “This is my 41st year of teaching, [and] my 28th in Cannon Falls. She also pointed out her experience with the changes around the school. “Things are not as they were when I retired. There is a lot of program building to be done. I love challenges, so I am enjoying the process so far.” All these teachers have had a positive experience so far, and are excited to be teaching at Cannon Falls High School.
Being a new teacher can be stressful. It can even be stressful for people coming back, especially when they have to plan lessons, become familiar with the students, and get to know their way around the school after the new construction update. However, it is really nice for the staff to get all of these new teachers. Before, there was a shortage of teachers here at Cannon Falls, with a few classes not being able to be available in-person, just online. Now, there are a lot of new teachers, who are able to open up some of these classes and make them available in-person again as an option. Having this many new teachers is important for a few reasons, the biggest being the opportunities it brings. There are also two new paraprofessionals, Elizabeth Boyum and Priscilla Hopkins who are also able to help out.
The teachers and paraprofessionals have all received a warm welcome from Cannon Falls Middle School and High School students. Cannon Falls High School wants to have a wide variety of teachers, and when it’s given, students recognize and appreciate it. This school has had a lot of changes over the summer including construction. This is great for students and staff with the amount of advantages it brings, such as more in-person classes. As it’s only been a few weeks since school started, these new teachers are looking forward to the rest of the year and seeing what else Cannon Falls has to offer them.