Hays USD 489

Vicki French has been with USD #489 for 25 years! The best part is working with the kids and watching them grow. I have been here long enough to see them from kdg. to High School. Then after high school I have seen them working in the community which is awesome. Fun fact: My husband and I love to go on motorcycle trips the farthest we have went was to Las Vegas and back 2600 miles total for our 25th anniversary. #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Sarah Desaire has been with USD #489 for 5 years! My absolute favorite thing about working at USD489 is being able to see the kiddos, they always make me smile. I also love the people I work with. Fun Fact: I love the mountains, last summer I was able to visit Yellowstone with my husband and 3 boys! It was amazing! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Debbie Braun has been with USD #489 for 20 years!!! My favorite thing about working for USD #489 has been the great coworkers I interact with daily and being able to connect with staff at other locations in our district! Fun Fact: Jim and I just celebrated our 40 + 1 wedding anniversary!! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Candace Sage has been with USD #489 for 30 years!!! My favorite part of working for USD489 is being part of a phenomenal team. Collaborating with other people in USD489 has made my work more meaningful and impactful. Being surrounded by the amazing people in this district has made teaching a true pleasure. Fun Fact: Every member of my family has graduated from a Kansas school. My husband Scott – Kansas State and Creighton Myself – Kansas State and FHSU Stephen – University of Kansas Sam – Kansas State #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Haley Wolf has been with USD #489 for 5 years!!! I love working for USD 489 because I get to work with awesome colleagues, as well as with great kids. It is also important to me that I am close to family. A fun fact is that I have run 4 half marathons, and hope to eventually run a full marathon. #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Ted Foster has been with USD #489 for 15 years! There are many favorites! I love my students and the energy they bring in our learning of history. I also enjoy my Team and our Staff in general. Fun fact: I’m a Buckeye by birth, but Kansan at heart. #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Elizabeth Nelson has been with USD #489 for 20 years!! I love about working in the school district is watching the students make progress in their learning and making strong relationships with my colleagues. A fun fact about myself would be that I played college volleyball. #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Joan Crull has been with USD #489 for 15 years!! Favorite thing: I love the hard- working staff at every school I teach at. Everyone works so well together, and puts the students’ needs first! Fun fact- I relax by riding my motorcycle- a 750 Virago. #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Nicole Cullison has been with USD #489 for 5 years!! My favorite thing about working for USD 489 is the people. Our district has some of the best teachers and administrators. Fun Fact: Next year I will officially be the mother of a teenager. Scary! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Happy Birthday to our Superintendent!!! It's an Almond Joy & Peanut M&M party!!! Here's to another sugar-fueled trip around the sun!! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Tessa Brandenburg has been with USD #489 for 5 years! My favorite thing about working for USD 489 has been the great co-workers I interact with daily and the high quality leadership I get to work under! A fun fact about me is that I find joy in creating a healthy & fruitful garden! I hope to be able to satisfy a majority of my kitchen needs at some point! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Aubrey Woolf has been with USD #489 for 5 years!! My favorite thing about working for USD 489 is the community I have built with coworkers and how everyone is willing to work together as a team. A fun fact: I now teach the kids of the students my mom taught! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Dirae Boyd has been with USD #489 for 25 years!! My favorite thing about working for USD 489, is the quality of staff that I am able to collaborate with so that I can provide the best instruction for the students that I serve as a Special Education Teacher. Fun Fact: I love making a difference in other’s lives. My favorite thing to do in my spare time is to be with family: especially my grandchildren who range in ages 1 month to 20 years old! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Cade Scott has been with USD #489 for 5 years!! My favorite thing about working for USD 489 is the dedication that the staff and teachers have for the success of students. A fun fact about myself is that I have 4 kids and 2 of them are twins. #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Jessica Schwien has been with USD #489 for 15 years!! My favorite things about the district are the kids and my fellow teachers. Our kids are great - my middle schoolers make me laugh every day and they make this job fun. I also am thankful for my fellow teachers. This can be an emotionally-taxing profession and it’s important to have friends who get it. A fun fact about myself... I’m on the board for the Humane Society of the High Plains and would adopt all the pets if my husband would let me! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Kathy Satomi has been with USD #489 for 5 years!! I love working in the USD 489 family—we have so many loving, devoted, caring, motivated, encouraging, purpose-driven, empathetic, giving…(I could go on and on)…”brothers and sisters” all working together for our children and families!! Fun Fact(s) – I like to do a lot of things that most people would not know about me—I love playing volleyball, I love to go camping and explore new places, I want to learn Spanish, and I want to learn how to play the ukulele this summer! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Mindi Dreiling has been with USD #489 for 5 years!! Favorite Thing: Being surrounded by a team of teachers that inspire and encourage me every day! I also love prepping those 5th grades for their next chapter at HMS. Fun Fact: Volleyball is my probably sport, I played growing up and 1 year in college. Also, I coached volleyball in Lacrosse for 4 of my 10 teaching years, bringing our team to the state tournament 3 of the 4 years! #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Lindsay Schmidt has been with USD #489 for 10 years!! My favorite part of working for USD 489 is making connections with the students. It’s been such a great experience to see students I worked with in grade school go on to be successful in high school. I also love how the staff in every building I’ve worked in becomes a school family. The district has so many amazing educators that go above and beyond for their students. I’m not sure if this is a fun fact but I’m slightly obsessed with sloths, mini goats, and alpacas. #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Kimberly Schmeidler has been with USD #489 for 20 years!!! I LOVE teaching students! Every child has a story, building that relationship with the students is so very important. Fun Fact: I have taught grades Kindergarten – through middle school over the past 25 years, and just recently achieved my National Board Certification. #EveryStudentEveryDay489

Day 2 of showcasing our staff who have reached a milestone year with our district!!! Jennifer Weilert has been with USD #489 for 5 years! My favorite thing about working for 489: My awesome colleagues and the daily AhHa moments that happen in Kindergarten. I love spending my days with the Littles. Fun fact about me: My First degree after High School was in Veterinary Technology. I worked as a Registered Veterinary Technician until I had my oldest daughter. I kept my license until I went back to school to get my degree in Elementary Education at 30 years old. I’m currently working towards a Master’s. It’s never too late. #EveryStudentEveryDay489