Reo Hoffelt - High School Science Teacher
Mr. Hoffelt is a native of the Chicago suburbs but spent almost every summer growing up visiting the Traverse City area. His family owns property between TC and Kingsley, which is where he discovered his love for the great outdoors.
He pursued a degree in fisheries in wildlife from Lake Superior State University. While he was in the UP, he started coaching middle school football. One of his professors suggested that he combine his love of the environment and working with kids, so Mr. Hoffelt later added credits to earn an additional education degree.
"After graduation, I came here and student-taught under Mr. Boone Sharp. It was great to be with Boone because we had such similar interests like gardening and farming,"
After school got out, he applied for teaching jobs in nearby districts but scrapped his plans when he heard that Mr. Scharp was retiring. He interviewed with Kingsley and was offered the position, and now teaches in Mr. Scharp's old room.
Right now, he teaches Wilderness, Environmental Science, and Applied Science.
"I really think Michigan is one of the greatest outdoor classrooms that is available anywhere.
I have switched the curriculum up so that we are outside: I'm going to show my students the basics of forestry and lake science, I'll take them to the lakes and rivers, we're doing whitetail and bird management; I'm trying to bring a lot of the stuff that I learned in college down here," said Mr. Hoffelt. "This community is so comfortable with doing like outside-of-the-box science things."
Ahead of his forestry unit, Mr. Hoffelt made an exciting discovery. He found what he believes to be the largest basswood tree in Michigan right behind KHS.
"I was measuring the trees to get a baseline for class. This is potentially the biggest one in Michigan, ever. And if I get this confirmed, it may even be the 50th-largest tree in the state!"
"I love teaching. I've always loved working with people in general."
Treasa Merchant - High School PE Teacher
"I was raised in TC and went to Albion College where I played basketball and softball. I went to grad school at Western Michigan University. I have a family of three active kids in our schools. My husband coaches football here at Kingsley too and I am the varsity softball coach here at Kingsley. I also coached MS basketball here.
I teach PE and Health. A majority of my students are freshmen. I begin some of my days in morning conditioning with my girls, teach active classes throughout the day, go to coach after school, and then go to one of my kids' games after that, it's always busy!
"My favorite part of my job is getting to know my students. And I love being in the same building as my kids and seeing them throughout the day.
Something the community may not know about me is that I came from a big school. I enjoy watching the community support in our athletics from a smaller school."
Nicole Wierman - Middle School Special Education Teacher
Born and raised in Kingsley, Ms. Weirman now works alongside her former teachers! She graduated from Central Michigan University last year and did her student teaching with Kingsley Elementary first grade teacher Jenifer Wolf and former KMS special education teacher Sarah DeMoulpied.
"I came to Kingsley because I already know what the expectations are. I know the building. I know everyone I know. I know what's going on. And since I did my student teaching here, I was already aware of the Marzano training and all of that so it made the transition from going to school to actually having a career a lot easier," said Ms. Weirman.
Her dream of teaching started while she was a student at Kingsley High School and a participant in Teachers Academy. One day, she went to the portables for a special education placement and encountered an autistic, nonverbal student who disliked being touched.
"Then, two weeks in, we were sitting down in a circle, and he just comes over and plop! Sits right down in my lap. This is when I knew I wanted to go into teaching," said Ms. Weirman.
"Now, seven years later, I'm teaching here at Kingsley, and I'm in my fifth grade essential elements class when I realize 'Wait, that's the kid!' It was like a full-circle moment, and I knew this was my calling. Today, he's doing awesome. I told his mom, 'he's the whole reason I went into teaching!'"