The Blue Earth Area School District will welcome a large crop of new teachers this fall – 14 in total. The new crew is pictured above in front of Blue Earth Area Elementary. In the back left row, left to right, are Spencer Monson, Betsy Monson and Samantha Jahnke. In the front left row, left to right, are Alexis Mandler, Karen Dressler and Erika Hertel. In the back right row, left to right, are Andrew Noll, Lindsey Norman, Jon Traetow and Lauren Sturtz. In the front right row, left to right, are Josselyn Moore, Kiana Groves and Julia Hanson. Theresa Eckles is not pictured.

With a brand-new fall semester come brand-new faces. These faces will include 14 new Blue Earth Area teachers this 2022-23 school year.

All BEA teachers and staff – both old and new - will welcome students into their classrooms starting next week. BEA High School will commence classes on Tuesday, Sept. 6, while BEA Elementary School will open its doors to students on Thursday, Sept. 8.

BEA’s new teaching staff will include Karen Dressler, Theresa Eckles, Kiana Groves, Julia Hanson, Erika Hertel, Samantha Jahnke, Alexis Mandler, Betsy Monson, Spencer Monson, Josselyn Moore, Andrew Noll, Lindsey Norman, Lauren Sturtz and Jon Traetow.

Additional new hires will include Jessica Eckmann, Sara Frederickson, Stacy Haase, Brenda Millmann and Crystal Smith.

Karen Dressler

Dressler will join the Buccaneers as a Begindergarten teacher.

She received her degree in geography from Gustavus Adolphus College, before earning her Master’s degree in teaching from Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah.

She taught third and fourth grade in Utah before moving to Minnesota.

Her family members include her husband, Dave, and children, Greta and Andrew.

Theresa Eckles

Eckles will educate second grade Bucs at BEA Elementary School this fall.

She received a degree in elementary education from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Her family includes her husband, Jeff, and two children, Mackenzie and Marcus.

Kiana Groves

Groves will join the BEA Elementary School staff as a fourth grade teacher.

She is a Minnesota State University, Mankato graduate, and is pursuing her Master’s degree at Hamline University.

Groves has many years of early childhood and lower elementary experience, but this will be her first year of teaching.

Coming from an urban environment, she is excited to explore the small town experience and is looking forward to being a part of the Blue Earth Area community.

Julia Hanson

Hanson will educate young Bucs this fall as a preschool teacher.

She majored in birth through sixth grade education and minored in reading instruction at Winona State University.

Her family members include Allen, a probation officer, Sonja, who works at Bevcomm in Blue Earth, and Grace, who is currently a ninth grader at BEA High School.

Erika Hertel

Hertel will join the BEA Elementary School staff this fall as a first grade teacher.

After attending the University of Iowa for a year, she transferred to Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she received a degree in elementary education. After graduating, she student taught at BEA Elementary.

Hertel lives in Northwood, Iowa, with her husband, Jackson, where the couple is near many friends and family.

Samantha Jahnke

Jahnke will serve as a second grade teacher at BEA Elementary School.

She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Morris. After receiving her degree, she taught in Albert Lea for two years and spent another five years teaching at Mankato Area Public Schools.

She married her husband, Devon, last June.

Alexis Mandler

Mandler with join the Bucs as a Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) teacher.

The United South Central (USC) alumnus received a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences education from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Mandler completed her field experience at Tri-City-United High School in Montgomery and student taught at Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School.

Her family includes her parents, Bruce Mandler and Amy Wangsness, her sister, Felicia, and boyfriend, Kory Dikken.

Betsy Monson

Monson will teach special education at BEA Schools this fall.

She is a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. She has also gained teaching experience as both an early childhood special education teacher and a special education resource teacher/ DCD teacher.

Monson’s husband, Spencer, will also be teaching at BEA Schools this fall. They will soon have four children.

Spencer Monson

Monson will be joining the BEA Middle School staff as a health teacher.

The BEA alumnus received his degree at Minnesota State University, Mankato, after which he taught elementary physical education in the St. James Area.

He and his wife, Betsy, have three daughters, and one more on the way.

Josselyn Moore

Moore will teach special education at BEA High School.

The BEA graduate attended Augustana University before earning her Master’s degree at Minnesota State University, Mankato and getting four years of teaching experience under her belt.

She currently lives in Blue Earth with her husband and two children, Jameson and Milo.

Andrew Noll

Noll will join the Bucs as a math teacher at BEA Middle School.

He earned his degree in law enforcement from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and received his substitute teaching license in November of 2020. Noll has also served as a Field Artillery Officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard and a correctional officer at the Faribault County Jail.

He has a son, Brecken, who is currently a BEA student. His wife, Heather, is also a BEA alumnus.

Lindsey Norman

Norman will start at BEA High School this fall as a STEAM teacher.

The BEA graduate received a degree in math education from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and student taught at USC as a high school math teacher.

Norman’s parents, Rob and Marnie, both work for the Blue Earth Area School District. Her twin sister, Alissa, is also an educator, and will be teaching at USC this fall. She also has two younger brothers, Luke and Jack.

Lauren Sturtz

Sturtz will educate young Buccaneers this fall as a Kindergarten teacher at BEA Elementary School.

The BEA graduate received her degree from Rasmussen College. She is currently finishing her Master’s degree in early childhood education and special education at Grand Canyon University.

Though this will be Sturtz’s first year of teaching, she has plenty of experience working with children. She spent the past nine years owning and operating an in-home daycare. She also served as a guest teacher at BEA Elementary School and BEA Middle School.

She has been married to her husband, Ty, for 10 years. She also has four children: Adley, Elsie, Gordon and Alden.

Jon Traetow

Traetow will serve as a third grade teacher at BEA Elementary School.

He received his degree in business management and human resources from Buena Vista University, and later earned a Master’s degree in teaching from Concordia.

Though this will be his first full-time teaching position, he worked as a long-term substitute for BEA Schools starting in January of 2021.

Traetow comes from a large family of teachers. His father was the high school principal and athletic director for Martin County West, and his sister is currently a fourth grade teacher at Martin County West.

Additional new hires

Five additional individuals will be joining the Blue Earth Area School District staff this fall.

Jessica Eckmann, a BEA graduate who attended Riverland Community College, will serve as an administrative assistant at BEA Middle School.

Crystal Smith will also join the district as an administrative assistant, but for BEA High School. She is also a BEA alumnus, and attended both Rochester Community and Technical College and Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Stacy Haase will assume a new position as BEA technology coordinator this fall. She graduated from BEA High School and then attended the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and Presentation College.

Brenda Millmann will serve as the district’s community engagement coordinator, a brand-new position. The BEA graduate attended Minnesota State University, Mankato to receive a degree in social work, and then attended Alder Graduate School.

Sara Frederickson will assume a new position as BEA’s K-12 library media specialist and media department head. After graduating from BEA High School, she attended Minnesota State University, Mankato.