School board hears TeamMates update; hires five teachers

McCOOK, Neb. -- Starting with only seven matches in 2004, the TeamMates Mentoring program has been making headway at McCook Public Schools, with 63 active matches this year.

There are still 8 girls and 16 boys who are waiting for a mentor, said Darcey Hansen, McCook Chapter coordinator, who gave an update of the program to the McCook School Board Monday night at its regular meeting. The program takes two at a time for it to succeed, she explained.

'We're not here to save the world, but to help kids who want to go some place in their lives," Hansen said.

TeamMates are active from fourth grade through high school and also at St. Patrick's School. Mentees experience improved grades, attendance and behavior once matched up with a mentor, Hansen said, with risky behaviors reduced. Graduation rates are also increased, with nine graduating seniors this year each receiving a $500 scholarship for college.

Later in the meeting, the board approved five teaching contracts for the 2014-15 school year.

Samantha Svoboda of Holdrege, Nebraska, was hired for the junior high behavioral disorder position. She will graduate from Wayne State College in May 2014 with endorsements in elementary education K-8 and special education K-12 and is student teaching special education in Axtell Public Schools.

Kylea Shelton of Minden, Nebraska, will teach third grade at McCook Elementary. She will graduate from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in May 2014 with a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education. She is student teaching in Axtell. Norgaard told the board that she scored very well on her interviews and several schools were competing for her, but that Shelton ultimately chose McCook.

Amy Clubine of Garden City, Kansas, was hired as a junior high science teacher. She has been working as a special education teacher at USD 457 in Garden City since 2012 and also taught sixth grade at Olathe Public Schools from 1999-2001. She has a master's degree from Emporia State University. Clubine comes McCook with a lot of teaching experience, Norgaard said, adding that there is a scarcity of science-endorsed teachers.

Audrey Feeney of Maxwell, Nebraska will teach fourth grade at Central Elementary and graduated from UNL-Kearney in 2013. She student taught at Elm Creek Public Schools. Norgaard said Feeney stood out among the online applications did very well in the interview process.

Janae Harris of McCook, that used to teach English at McCook Public Schools, was hired for alternative education. Harris left MPS in 2013 be a school counselor at Wauneta-Public Schools and "We were not happy when we lost her," Norgaard said, adding that Harris wants to focus more on counseling. Harris graduated from UNL-Kearney in 2010 and will have a master's degree in counseling from UNL in 2015.