In less than a week Powell students will be welcomed by some new faces. The following staff have joined Park County School District 1 for the 2022-2023 school year:

Emily Andrews 

Music teacher at Westside Elementary School

Emily Andews served as a music teacher in Cody for 15 years before coming to Powell this year. She also served as an elementary music teacher in Sterling, Colorado, for four years. Andrews has a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Wyoming and master’s degree from the University of Nebraska.

She has completed a University of Wyoming principalship program.

Reba Borden

Special education K-12 Behavior specialist at the Special Education Center

Reba Borden has 2 1/2 years experience teaching special education at the Northeast Wyoming Board of Cooperative Services. She has a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance from Montana State University-Billings, and a bachelor’s degree in special education from Western Governors University. 

Borden is currently enrolled in MSU-Bllings’ graduate program to earn a Board Certified Behavior Analyst certification and licensure.

Nikki Butler 

Math teacher at Powell High School and Park 1 Virtual Academy

Nikki Butler has served one semester as a math teacher in Colorado,  two years as a math teacher in Fromberg, Montana, and 15 years as a math teacher in Burlington, Wyoming. Butler has also tutored junior high and college students for as long as she has taught.

She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with an emphasis in secondary education from the University of Wyoming. 

Logan Burns 

English teacher at Powell High School

Logan Burns has taught as an assistant  professor at Middle Georgia State University, a tenured associate professor at Northwest College and an instructor at John Hopkins University. Since 2011, Burns has been teaching dual enrollment classes to high school students for college credit and has taught high school students virtually. He has a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in fine arts in creative writing and a doctorate in writing and literature.

Rebecca “Becky” Gill 

Fourth grade teacher at Southside Elementary School

Rebecca Gill taught for 10 years in Charleston, South Carolina, and 15 years in Belvidere, Illinois. Most of Gill’s teaching experience has been in fifth to eighth grade classrooms with a focus on science. 

She has spent the last eight years in Illinois as an instructional coach. In this position she worked with teachers to develop curriculum resources and grow skills.

Gill has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education for Eastern Illinois University and master’s degre in education from Lesley University.

Chandra Grohman

Life skills teacher at Powell High School

Chandra Grohman served as a teacher in Big Horn County School District 1 for 17 years as a computers and technology teacher and an elementary special education teacher at Rocky Mountain Elementary School. She also taught elementary and secondary special education at Burlington Schools. 

Grohman has a master’s of arts in K-12 special education and a bachelor’s of arts in elementary education and a middle school endorsement from the University of Wyoming. Grohman earned an associate of arts degree in early childhood education and elementary education from Northwest College. She is also a certified K-12 autism specialist.

Nick Haney

Special education teacher at Southside Elementary School

Nick Haney has served as a substitute teacher in Park County School District 1 for the last two years while completing a bachelor’s degree in special education and elementary education from Western Governors University. 

Buffy Hourt-Allred 

Special education teacher at Powell High School

Buffy Hourt-Allred served as special education teacher for two years in Chadron, Nebraska, 10 years as a special education teacher in Bartonville, Illinois and 15 years as a special education teacher for Park County School District 6.

She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Chadron State University, and a master’s degree in special education from Illinois State University.

Kathleen “Katie” Padgett 

Title 1 teacher at Southside Elementary School

Kathleen Padgett served five years as a teacher in California. In that time she taught first, second and sixth grade and coached middle school basketball and volleyball. She was hired as a para-educator at Parkside Elementary School, last April. Before that, Padgett worked as a substitute teacher for two years. She also worked as an intern through the Tular County Office of Education.

Padgett has a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from Fresno Pacific University.

Jennifer Phillips

School nurse (temporary) at Powell High School and Shoshone Learning Center

Jennifer Phillips served 13 years as a nurse for Valley Children’s Healthcare in Madera, California where she was a nurse on oncology, hematology, nphrology and rheumatology. Phillips was also an instructor at Fresno City College and West Hills Community College in California. She has both a bachelor’s degree in nursing from California State University and a master’s degree in nursing/CNS/nurse educator.

Jill Quigley

School nurse at Parkside and Southside Elementary Schools

Jill Quigley has nine and half years experience as a nurse in Bend, Oregon, and has served as a supervisory nurse at Park County Public Health for the past four years. Quigley was also an infusion nurse at Summit Medical Group for two years and has 19 years experience in the medical field and 14 years experience in nursing. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Western Governors University.

Amanda Rodriguez 

Special education teacher at Powell High School

Amanda Rodriguez served for three years as a teacher at Riverton Middle School where she also coordinated an at-risk youth alternative program. She served “on and off” as a  substitute teacher and para-educator in PCSD1 from 2012-2018.

Rodriguez has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from North Dakota State University and master’s degree in special education from Black Hills States University.

Katie Snell

Special education teacher for all elementary schools

Katie Snell served one year as a second grade teacher in Show Low, Arizona, one year as a kindergarten teacher in Evansville, Wyoming, and has spent the last two years as a special education para-educator at Parkside Elementary School.

She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Northern Arizona University and will graduate from the University of Wyoming with a master’s in special education in May 2024.

Robert Townsend  

Computer Aided-Drafting (CAD) teacher at Powell High School (part time)

Townsend served 14 years as a computer aided drafting and design (CADD) instructor in mechanical, electrical and architectural design at Burlington County College in New Jersey, he was also an associate professor for 15 years teaching CADD in mechanical and architectural design at Northwest College.

He has a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from  Roger Williams University and master’s degree in industrial technology from Indiana State University.

Elisabeth White

Fifth grade teacher at Southside Elementary School

Elisabeth White has served as a teacher for the past nine years. White taught one year as a sixth grade teacher in Colorado Springs, Colorado, six years as a fourth grade teacher in Dubois, Wyoming and two years as a fourth grade teacher in Cody. For the last three years White has been Title 1 para-educator at Southside Elementary School.

White has a bachelor’s degree in biology and Spanish from Colorado College and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Colorado.

Michaela Williams 

School counselor at Southside Elementary School

Michaela Williams served nine years as a school counselor for Greybull Elementary School and was awarded the honor of 2021 Wyoming School Counselor of the Year. She has both a bachelor’s degree in family consumer science and a master’s degree in school counseling from Montana State University.

Karen Winter

English teacher at Park 1 Virtual Academy and Powell High School

Karen Winter was employed by the Greeley Colorado School Distict for 24 years and served the last 15 as a high school English teacher.

Winter has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and English as well a master’s degree in culturally and linguistically diverse education from the University of Northern Colorado.