United South Central is welcoming eight new teachers this fall. Above, left to right, they are Kirstyn Wegner, Lyssa Warmka, Emily Rajtar, Tara Lauwagie, Rosemary Schwartz, Michelle Oltman, Jessica Woratschka and Bridgett Johnson.

The United South Central (USC) School District will open its doors to the 2023-24 school year next week. High school students will begin classes on Sept. 5 and elementary students will start class on Sept. 6.

Apart from its students, USC will also welcome eight new teachers this fall. They include Bridgett Johnson, Tara Lauwagie, Michelle Oltman, Emily Rajtar, Rosemary Schwartz, Lyssa Warmka, Kirstyn Wegner and Jessica Woratschka.

Bridgett Johnson

Johnson will join USC High School’s staff as an algebra 2, pre-calculus, calculus and college algebra teacher.

She is an MSU-Mankato graduate, and she is earning her Master’s degree in education at SMSU. This will be her first year of teaching.

Johnson grew up in Mankato, but she currently lives in Pemberton with her fiancé and three dogs: Copper, Lady and Una.

She enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, cooking and hanging out with friends.

Tara Lauwagie

Lauwagie, a USC graduate, will be teaching Kindergarten this year at USC Elementary School.

She has taught Kindergarten previously in Byron, but she is excited to be returning to her alma mater this fall.

Lauwagie recently moved to Wells with her husband, Donte, and they are expecting a baby in February.

She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking and watching movies.

Michelle Oltman

Oltman will be teaching business classes for USC students in grades 7-12.

This is her first year of teaching, but Oltman has years of experience as a USC paraprofessional. She decided to finish her teaching degree in January of 2020, and did so at Bemidji State University.

Oltman lives in Wells with her husband, Scott, and son, Chase. She also has a grown daughter, Emily, two step-sons, Storm and Noah, and four grandchildren.

She enjoys reading, playing the piano and spending time with her family.

Emily Rajtar

Rajtar, a USC graduate, will be teaching Kindergarten and first grade special education at USC Elementary School.

She received her four-year degree from MSU-Mankato and she is currently attending Bemidji State University to earn her Master’s in special education. This will be her first year of teaching.

Rajtar lives in Wells with her husband, Adam, and sons, Holdon and Hayden. Her family also has two cats, Lyla and Libby, and one dog, Jemman.

She enjoys playing volleyball and watching or playing any other sport, and she likes playing card games with family, cooking and traveling.

Rosemary Schwartz

Schwartz is joining USC High School’s staff as 9-10 English teacher.

Although this will be her first full year of teaching, Schwartz has served as a long-term substitute teacher in the past.

She earned two Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in interpersonal communication and rhetoric, and in art with a ceramics concentration. Schwartz also has a Master’s degree in art from UW-Madison.

She is familiar with USC from a parenting point of view, as she worked with the district to home-school all of her children over a 20-year period.

Schwartz enjoys making things. Her current project involves recycling No. 2 plastic by turning it into colorful, swingy earrings.

Lyssa Warmka

Warmka will be teaching K-12 ELL (English Language Learners) at USC starting this fall.

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences from South Dakota State University. Although this will be her first year of teaching, she has five years of experience as a Title 1 paraprofessional at USC.

Warmka lives on an acreage outside of Wells with her husband, Jade, two sons, Hudson and Nash, and daughter, Ava. Her family also has two dogs, Bear and Lucy, and farm cats.

Warmka enjoys watching Hudson’s baseball, football and basketball games with her family and vacationing in Nisswa every summer.

Kirstyn Wegner

Wegner, a USC graduate, will be teaching 11-12 English at USC High School. This is her first time back in the classroom after a decade away from teaching.

Wegner graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in English education, and went on to teach English at Granada-Huntley-East Chain High School for eight years. She has been subbing at GHEC and USC for the past 10 years and directing plays and musicals at USC.

Wegner lives on an acreage west of Wells with her husband, daughter and foster daughter. She enjoys reading and freelance writing. She also enjoys concerts, theme parties, playing games, musical theater and dancing.

Jessica Woratschka

Woratschka is joining USC Elementary’s staff as a second grade teacher.

She grew up in St. James, but she finished high school in La Jolla, California, before returning to Minnesota to attend MSU-Mankato. Woratschka then joined the National Guard, and she has remained a member for the past eight years.

She lives in Mankato with her dog, Copper. She also has three siblings: James, Nichole and Jalyn.

Woratschka enjoys hiking and spending time on the lake with family and friends.