Photo by NOLAN GRAHAM

A few of the new teachers who will be joining local schools this year. From L-R: Erin Cate, Shannon Swindlehurst, Noah Hire, Laura Hollaway, Aurora Potts, Ron Schlauch, Bryce Tiernan, and Kristen Halvorsen.

As summer comes to a close and fall sports begin, it’s time to get ready for a new school year. Parents, students, and staff are bound to encounter a few new faces this year, as school districts in Harney County welcome new staff.

Noah Hire is joining Slater Elementary as the new music teacher. Hire was born and raised in Ohio, and spent the last four years in Illinois. He said he’s looking forward to providing music to students and getting his first true professional experiences. His hobbies include reading, watching films, hiking, and playing music.

Laura Hollaway will join Slater Elementary as a fourth grade teacher. No stranger to Harney County, Hollaway grew up on a local ranch in Burns and said she’s exited to work with students in her hometown. When she isn’t teaching, Hollaway loves being outside and spending time with her family.

Kristen Halvorsen will be joining Slater Elementary as a fifth grade teacher. Although she grew up in Los Angeles, Calif., Halvorsen is joining us from Roseburg. She said she’s looking forward to everything! Outside of school, Halvorsen enjoys equine activities. She is a certified riding instructor for general riding and riders with disabilities. (She’s currently working with Crossroads Ranch.) Halvorsen also enjoys tennis, volleyball, surfing, swimming, languages (Spanish and Hebrew), theater, drama, the outdoors, and traveling the world.

Hines Middle School (HMS) is welcoming Aurora Potts this year. Potts will be teaching seventh and eighth grade science. She moved here from Atlanta, Ga. and said she’s looking forward to brushing up on her chemistry and physics as well as working with older students. In her free time, she enjoys birding, videography, and whitewater rafting.

HMS is also welcoming Bryce Tiernan, who will be teaching electives. He grew up in Bishop, Calif. and recently moved here from Bend. Tiernan said he is looking forward to riding his bike to work. Bike riding, skiing, and photography are among his favorite hobbies.

Ron Schlauch will be teaching seventh and eighth grade math and algebra at HMS. Schlauch grew up in Castle Rock, Wash., and came to Burns from Vader, Wash. Outside of school, Schlauch enjoys fishing, hunting, and woodworking.

Erin Cate will also be joining HMS this year. She will be teaching sixth grade and STEM. Cate, who grew up in Burns, said she’s looking forward to working with the kids. When she isn’t teaching, she enjoys camping, hiking, and spending time with her family.

Burns High School (BHS) is welcoming back Shannon Swindlehurst. Swindlehurst grew up in Burns and previously worked at BHS for about eight years. She will be teaching special education and said she’s looking forward to working with students again. In her spare time, Swindlehurst enjoys camping, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Samantha Hauser will be teaching kindergarten through eighth grade at Frenchglen Elementary School. She grew up in Greenville, S.C. and spent the last three years at Diamond School. Hauser said she is looking forward to working with Carolyn Koskela, as she is a well-seasoned veteran teacher and a positive mentor. In her spare time, Hauser enjoys traveling and going to concerts.

Diamond Elementary School is welcoming Dianna Dowell as the new kindergarten through third grade teacher. Dowell moved here from Molalla and said she’s looking forward to engaging with her students and working with the community. She said her family is the most important part of her life. She also enjoys paddle boarding, hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, reading, and refinishing furniture.

Diamond Elementary is also welcoming fourth through eighth grade teacher Denise Adams. Adams grew up in Adrian on a row crop farm. She met her husband, Glen, in college and moved to Crane in the fall of 2008, where Glen grew up. Adams said she’s very excited for her first year as a teacher. She has been a substitute teacher in Harney County for the past seven years and said this is a great next step. Adams added that she’s most excited about the new relationships she gets to make. In her spare time, she loves being creative, doing graphic design, watching Crane Mustang sports, spending time with her family, working, playing in the yard, camping, rafting, watching her kids learn new things, going to brandings, and spending time with her friends.

Double O School is welcoming kindergarten through eighth grade teacher Lily White. White grew up in Clackamas County, but she most recently lived in La Grande. She said she’s looking forward to the challenge of teaching multiple grades and exploring Harney County. White loves hiking, hunting, camping, reading, writing, and music.

Sarah Kling is the new teacher at Suntex Elementary School. She will be teaching kindergarten through eighth grade at Suntex. Kling moved to Harney County when she was in the sixth grade and attended Crane schools. She’s lived in Riley for the past five years and said she’s looking forward to working with all the rural teachers and getting all of the “kiddos” together for trips. She loves hunting, crafting, and hanging with friends and family.

Please join us in welcoming all of the new teachers and wishing them a happy and productive school year!