News
New teachers in Bottineau's school district
Scott Wagar
09/18/2012
Four new teachers have accepted positions in Bottineau’s school system this year and come to the district having good backgrounds in their educational fields.
DANA ALINDER
Dana Alinder will be teaching English in the school district. She is a graduate of Valley City State University with a bachelor degree in education with emphasis in the English language arts.
Alinder was a substitute teacher in Lisbon and Milnor from 2007 to 2009 and in West Fargo for the 2010-11 school year, while at the same time teaching language arts for Woodrow Wilson High School in Fargo.
Alinder stated that she is pleased to be in Bottineau.
“I am very excited to be a part of Bottineau Public School System. The students here are incredibly dedicated and articulate. I am truly enjoying working with them,” Alinder said. “I have also found the staff and faculty to be very friendly and accommodating. Everyone in town has been just wonderful about helping us get settled. My family and I couldn’t be happier to be here.”
JAMIE ANDEL
Jamie Andel is the Title I educator for grades seven through 12. Andel holds her bachelor’s degree in education with a major in English and a minor in psychology from Minot State University.
She has been an educator for seven years.
“Prior to coming to Bottineau, I taught high school English and language arts in TGU Towner from 2004 to 2009. During that time, I led and advised many student organizations including the drama department, National Honor Society and high school cheerleading,” Andel said. “I came to Bottineau in the fall of 2011, and worked here during the last school year as a long-term substitute for high school English.”
With accepting the Title I position this year in the school district, which she earned her credentials for last year while substituting in Bottineau, Andel is looking forward to the school year with her new position.
“I am excited and honored to be a part of the Bottineau High School teaching staff. All of the people, including my colleagues, the students, parents and community members, have all been extremely kind and welcoming to me here in Bottineau,” Andel said. “The support that I have received from fellow staff members and from the administration has been exceptional, and I look forward to continuing my teaching career here and becoming even more involved in the school and in the community of Bottineau.”
JAQUE MARUM
Jaque Marum will be teaching vocal music to grades five through 12. She graduated from Concordia College (MN) with a bachelor’s degree in music with emphasis in music education and voice and earned her master’s degree in educational leadership at Northern Arizona University.
Marum has taught music for 13 years and is happy to be an educator in Bottineau.
“I taught in the public school system in Scottsdale, Ariz. for 13 years, five years elementary music and eight years high school choir. At the high school level I also taught AP music theory and musical theater. I have also been conducting with the Phoenix Children’s Chorus for the past 13 years. With the Phoenix Children’s Chorus, I conducted one of our training choirs and I also conducted our high school international touring choir, Encore. I have also been a choral clinician for many choral festivals throughout Arizona,” Marum said. “I am so excited to be back in the area. I am originally from Rugby and we have been wanting to return to ND for several years. This teaching opportunity came as an “unexpected bonus” to our move. I have found the students to be so respectful and eager to learn. The staff and administration have been so welcoming and helpful. I want to give our students a high-class music education. I feel privileged to be a part of Bottineau Public Schools.”
MICHAEL VANDAL
Michael Vandal, a Bottineau High School graduate, has returned to the school he was educated in and will be teaching students in grades 10 through 12 with learning disabilities. He holds an associate in science degree from Dakota College at Bottineau and bachelor degrees in physical education and developmental disabilities from Minot State University.
Since Vandal graduated from MSU, he was a substitute teacher in Minot in 2011 and paraeducator in West Fargo from 2011-12.
Vandal stated he is gratified to be back in Bottineau and its school system.
“When I was offered the job it was quite the rush of feelings knowing I would be moving back to my hometown. I grew up in the Bottineau Public School system so I knew what to expect and knew it was a great school to be in. Some of the teachers I had have moved on but there are still some of my teachers still in the system,” Vandal said. “It has been a good learning experience being my first teaching job. I have enjoyed working with the new teachers in the school system and working with some of my previous teachers as well.”