Madeira City Schools welcomed 27 new employees across all three campuses and its preschool program at the district's annual New Staff Orientation on Aug. 12. Seven of the hires are special education assistants at Madeira Elementary School.
The incoming class spans classroom teachers, intervention specialists, instructional aides and administrative support staff, according to a district announcement.
Superintendent Kenji Matsudo and Assistant Superintendent Dave Bergan opened the day with coffee, bagels and an overview of the district's goals and vision. Treasurer/CFO Emily Hauser walked new hires through cash handling and purchasing policies, while Student Services Director Jessica Hunter spoke directly to the incoming educational assistants. After lunch, new staff met one-on-one with assigned mentors.
Special education investment
The largest single group in the cohort is special education assistants. That's new.
Seven will serve Madeira Elementary: Michelle Eikenbary, Connie Binkley, Lizzie Ahlrichs, Martha Fraley, Cherish Patton, Emmy Sager and Jasmine Daniels. Stephanie Staudigel fills the same role at Madeira Middle School.
The district also hired three intervention specialists: Angie Laux and Tyler Kossila at MES and Emily Wolf at MMS. Chloe Demboski joins as MES intervention math tutor. Layne Moorman is the new MES school psychologist, and Ellie Bernard will serve as preschool speech language pathologist.
Several of those special education and intervention hires were approved for Crisis Prevention Intervention training contracts at the board's July 12 meeting.
New classroom teachers
Six classroom teachers join the district: Amy Geiger (4th grade ELA), Lindsey Davis (5th grade ELA/Math), Amy Dyer (MES physical education), Sophia Johnson (MHS business), and preschool teachers Jordan Gates and Abigail Myers. Leah McCain takes over choir and guitar instruction at both Madeira High School and Madeira Middle School.
Rounding out the cohort are kindergarten instructional aides Megan Kearns and Erin Rombach, MMS administrative assistant Sara Cheeseman, district accounts payable specialist Gabe Sutton and district payroll and benefits staffer Bobbi Wagner.
Board approvals and what's next
The board formally approved several classified hires, including Ahlrichs, Eikenbary, Staudigel, Patton, Rombach, Kearns and Sutton, at its July 12 regular meeting. Sutton's position filled a vacancy left by the resignation of the former MMS principal's administrative assistant.
The next regular Madeira Board of Education meeting is Monday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Perin Learning Commons at Madeira High School, 7465 Loannes Dr.
