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Baker’s dozen: New teachers at WB schools
News · August 22, 2014


West Branch Community School District welcomed 13 new teachers to the district at orientation on Aug. 13. Here’s a little bit about each of them:


Kimberley Morische of Iowa City will serve as the Talented And Gifted Coordinator.

She earned a bachelors degree from Wartburg College in 2012 and a masters degree from University of Norther Iowa in 2014.

Before accepting this position, she was a full-time masters degree student at UNI. Her masters degree is in English literature and she also studied Talented And Gifted education at that time.

“Having grown up in a small community (Osage), I was drawn to the size and atmosphere here in West Branch,” she said. “I am excited to get to know the individuals in this community very well!”

Joanne Salemink will teach family and consumer science.

She is married to Scott and has two children: Gabby and Max. Their family has lived in West Branch for 15 years.

She earned her degree from Iowa Wesleyan College and has served as a substitute teacher in West Branch for years, most recently serving as a long-term sub for family and consumer science in the spring.

“I enjoy being a part of this community, great students and the school system,” she said. “I look forward to a great school year!”

Shelby King of Tipton will teach Title I reading.

She earned her elementary education degree from Simpson College earlier this year.

While earning her bachelor’s degree, she also ran track and cross country.

She said she was drawn to West Branch because it is “close to my home town, a small town and welcoming people.”

Laura Heithoff of West Branch will teach fourth grade.

She and husband Brad have two children: Joseph and Alex.

She earned her bachelors degree in elementary education in 1997 from the University of Iowa.

She was a stay-at-home mother for her boys and served as a substitute teacher for the school district, earning experience teaching preschool, first grade and third grade.

“We moved here six years ago because of my husband’s job, but also for the school district and the opportunities West Branch schools would give our children,” she said. “I am so excited and honored to be a part of this district.”

Nicole Bradley of Iowa City will teach middle school special education.

She and husband Brian have two children: Gabby and Nile Iverson. She earned her masters degree in teaching in 2009 and has served as a substitute teacher in Iowa City.

“I like working with small districts,” she said. “Small towns make it easier to get to know my students and their families.”

Taylor Larson of Iowa City will serve as the high school counselor.

Larson is married to Melia and he earned his bachelors degree from Buena Vista University before earning his masters degree in guidance and counseling earlier this year.

Before coming to West Branch, he was a high school history teacher at Durant from August 2009 through May 2013, then served as a middle school counselor at Oak Ridge Middle School (Linn Mar).

He said he was drawn to West Branch because it is a small-town school and close to his home. He also likes the “academic possibilities” for the students here and the school’s leadership.

Lisa Schrock of Iowa City will teach instrumental music at the high school.

She earned her degree in music education in vocal and instrumental from Goshen College in Indiana. Before coming to West Branch, she taught in Iowa City at South East Junior High School. Prior to that, she completed an ethnomusicology research project, “studying indigenous music in several countries in Africa.”

“I grew up in Montana in a small school and I’m excited to be back working in the close-knit community of West Branch,” she said.

Cindy González of Columbus Junction will teach English Language Learners and Spanish.

She is married to Eduardo Piedra and earned her bachelors degree in psychology in May from the University of Iowa. She was finishing her degree before coming to West Branch.

She said she was drawn to this school because of its proximity to home.

“It’s also a small town, just like where I grew up,” she said.

Magness Forsyth of Davenport will teach science to seventh- and eighth-graders.

She earned her degree in elementary and middle level education from the University of Northern Iowa in December 2013.

Prior to West Branch, she taught as a substitute in the Cedar Rapids and Linn Mar school districts.

“I like that West Branch is a smaller community,” she said. “Smaller communities tend to be more welcoming and supportive of their schools and that was extremely appealing to me.”

John Walsh of West Branch will teach high school math and coach sophomore volleyball.

He has two children in the school district: McKenna in ninth grade and Barrett in seventh grade.

He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Illinois, a bachelor degree in mathematics from Eastern Illinois University and a masters degree in mathematics from the University of Iowa.

Before coming to West Branch he was a high school math teacher, head volleyball coach and boys golf coach at Durant High School.

He sees the move to West Branch schools as “an opportunity to spend more time with my children throughout their high school years.”

Ben Holub of North Liberty will teach physical education and health.

He earned a degree in kindergarten-through-12th-grade education, physical education and health with coaching from Coe College in 2014, and this will be his first teaching job.

He said he was drawn to West Branch because of “the small, welcoming community backed with a very supportive staff.”

Blake Shultice of West Branch will teach fourth grade. He is married to Andrea and earned his bachelors degree from Simpson College in 2011, then recently finished his masters degree in education from Marquette University.

Before coming here, he taught fourth grade with Teach for America in Milwaukee at The Milwaukee Academy of Science.

“My wife and I were looking to move back to our home state and West Branch stood out as a strong, vibrant community,” he said. “I could not be more excited to be living here and teaching at Hoover Elementary.”

Michelle Fortune of Cedar Rapids will teach special education.

She earned her degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2007. Prior to coming to West Branch, she taught for two years at Iowa Connections Academy teaching high school special education. Before that, she taught for a year at Southeast Polk Junior High in a self-contained behavior disorder classroom.

“I am looking forward to working with students in the new transition program,” she said.