Getting to Know Your Elementary Education Department: 14 Questions for 2014

There are some new faces in the Elementary Education Department this year.  There are couple of faces that you may have seen around the district in other positions, and even a couple faces that have been around the department for a while. :-)  But what do you REALLY know about your Elementary Education Department?  We're going to kick off 2014 with 14 questions that will help you get to know the Elementary Education Department a little better!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dr. Kevin Kopp, Executive Director of Elementary Education

Where is your hometown?
Rock Falls, IL

Tell a little about your family.
I have been married to my best friend, Shay for 15 years. We have three kids Macy (9), Aubrey (7) and Colby (4).
  

Name one thing most people don’t know about you.
When I was a child, I loved watching Bob Ross on PBS paint pictures. 

What was your favorite subject in school?
I loved to write and who didn’t love PE?

Name three things you could not live without.
Faith, Family, and Friends

Name three things you COULD live without.
Commercials, rising gas prices, and preservative laden foods 

Why did you come to work in Nixa?
While I was a teacher in Springfield my wife and I would drive by Century Elementary because we lived nearby and she would often say “You are going to be a principal there someday.”  Next thing you know, I was hired as principal of Century.  Our words are powerful!

What is the best thing about your job?
Working with our amazing team of educators. I am amazed by the creativity, professionalism, and passion our district has for student learning.

What are your hobbies?
My kids.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Dark Chocolate although there are health benefits so it is not so guilty :-)

Name one thing you’ve always wanted to do.
Be in attendance of the Chicago Bears winning a Super Bowl.

What is one thing you’d like to see in Nixa?
Trader Joes

What book are you reading right now?
It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways

Who is one person you would like to meet?
Abraham Lincoln
 

Debby Lawson, General Education Program Director

Where is your hometown?
Cassville, Missouri

Tell a little about your family.

My husband and I have three children and five grandchildren.  My oldest daughter Jennifer and her husband live in Dallas and have two daughters:  Grace, 12 and Kate, 8.  My middle child is Lindsay.  She lives with a dominant male household with her husband Mike and their two boys:  Nick, 7 and Brady, who is  almost 4.  Our son Chris and his wife, April live in Springfield have one son: Cooper, 3.  I am very proud of my kids and their families.  They bring great joy to our lives.  We love family holidays and try to travel together.  Usually to a sun drenched beach!

Name one thing most people don’t know about you.

I love PBR bull riding.  Finally got to attend the world finals in Las Vegas last year.

What was your favorite subject in school?

Reading.  I read every book in the children’s library in my home town.

Name three things you could not live without.

God, my family and friends. 

Name three things you COULD live without.

Mean people, hungry or abused children and eggs!

Why did you come to work in Nixa?

In 1993 as principal at John Thomas Elementary.  The school had 450 kindergarten and first grade students.  It was a lot of fun but tied a lot of shoes and opened a lot of milk cartons.

What is the best thing about your job?

Working with people who truly care about kids and their education.

What are your hobbies?

I love to travel, go to the beach, and will watch any movie as long as there is popcorn.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Chocolate!

Name one thing you’ve always wanted to do.

Go to Europe.

What is one thing you’d like to see in Nixa?

A library.

What book are you reading right now?

Just downloaded “The Doctors Diet” by Dr. Travis Stork.  I am trying to get motivated to do the “ diet” thing.

Who is one person you would like to meet?

I would like to meet Hilary Clinton.  I think she is extremely smart and has an enlightening perspective of the world due to her travels as Secretary of State.   

Kristy Endacott, Director Assistant

Where is your hometown?
Springfield, MO

Tell a little about your family.

I’ve been married to my husband, David, for 24 years this April.  We have three amazing children:  Ryan (19 - 2^nd year at Mizzou), Emily (17 - Nixa Senior), Sophie (15 - Nixa Sophomore).

Name one thing most people don’t know about you.

I worked as a singing Valentine in college to make extra money.  My first gig was on the radio!

What was your favorite subject in school?

I have to choose two--Art and Math.  

Name three things you could not live without.

God, people, animals. 

Name three things you COULD live without.

My first thought to this question is always meatloaf!  Upon further introspection, I’d have to say crazy health care costs, freezing cold weather, and dirty laundry!

Why did you come to work in Nixa?

I was a stay at home mom for almost 15 years.  I volunteered and subbed in the classroom and in the district offices and, when the opportunity presented itself,  I jumped on board.

What is the best thing about your job?

The people that I work with and the location to my home!

What are your hobbies?

My family, travel, cooking, horseback riding, boating & water skiing.

What is your guilty pleasure?

French dark chocolate truffles.

Name one thing you’ve always wanted to do.

Sky dive but I got to parasail in the Alps last summer which I think was probably better than skydiving!  A safari would be pretty amazing, too.

What is one thing you’d like to see in Nixa?

Synchronized traffic lights into Springfield.

What book are you reading right now?

Wish I had time to read right now…..

Who is one person you would like to meet?

My grandfather, F. T. H’Doubler, Sr.

Debby Money, Education Specialist

Where is your hometown?

I have two hometowns: I spent my first six years in Springfield.  We moved to Chicago in the middle of first grade, and I lived there through high school.  I came back to Springfield for college, met Steve, and I’ve been here ever since.

Tell a little about your family.

Well, I married money…Steve Money, that is.  We will celebrate our 25th anniversary this summer.  We have one daughter, Alee.  She graduated from Nixa High School and is currently in college studying to be a high school English teacher.  Alee plays guitar and sings in a band called Poor Henry.  Their first performance was at the NHS talent show.  So, Steve and I have become band groupies following them around wherever they are playing.  Our favorite hideaway is Clearwater Beach, and we try to make it there at least once a year.

Name one thing most people don’t know about you.

I got to perform with my tumbling team on Bozo Circus on WGN when I was in grade school.  It was interesting to see behind the scenes of a live show that we watched every day when we went home for lunch.

What was your favorite subject in school?

A lot of people think it would be reading, but my favorite subject was math.  Maybe that’s why I have such a passion for struggling readers now.

Name three things you could not live without.

Just so we don’t all have the same answer on this one, I’ll say my big, loud Italian family, the way my nephew Jack squeals my name when we first see each other, “AUNT DEBBY!!!” and fun, family conversations with Steve and Alee.  

Name three things you COULD live without.

Evil in the world…why can’t people just be nice and get along, bad attitudes, and abuse of any sort.

Why did you come to work in Nixa?

The last year I was a Missouri Reading Initiative trainer, I worked with the 5th and 6th grade teachers at Inman and Main Street.  I loved working in Nixa!  January of that school year, I got a call from Todd Schuetz, the principal at Main Street.  He said they were adding a 5th grade position and asked if I would be interested.  I was so excited that I told him I would be over that afternoon to sign the contract.

What is the best thing about your job?

Working with all the great administrators, teachers, students, and support staff in Nixa.  

What are your hobbies?

I LOVE hot yoga, working out with Debby Lawson at 5 am, and interior decorating/DIY projects.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Watching mindless tv after my family goes to bed…Duck Dynasty, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Snooki and JWoww, Dance Moms…anything that makes me laugh out loud.

Name one thing you’ve always wanted to do.

Go on another big, family vacation to Hawaii and hang out on the beach with all my relatives.

What is one thing you’d like to see in Nixa?

Pei Wei, it’s the fast food version of PF Changs

What book are you reading right now?

Projecting Possibilities for Writers by Matt Glover and Mary Alice Berry, and I LOVE it!

Who is one person you would like to meet?

I would love to meet my Grandmother Mary.  She was killed in a car accident before I was born.  Everyone says I look like her and remind them of her.

Barbara St. Clair, Education Specialist

Where is your hometown?
Concord, California, just outside Berkeley in the SF Bay Area

Tell a little about your family.
I am the oldest of seven kids, and my parents each came from families of seven kids.  (I didn’t dare have children!)  My father was a teacher, my mother a nurse, and we grew up healthy, busy, noisy and crowded.

Name one thing most people don’t know about you.
I didn’t have a TV for the first 30 years of marriage.

What was your favorite subject in school?

Journalism. ( I hated science!)

Name three things you could not live without.

Will, cats and flowers

Name three things you COULD live without.

Prejudice, ignorance, and bindweed

Why did you come to work in Nixa?

It’s the best school district in the state.

What is the best thing about your job?

Working with wonderful teachers in science!

What are your hobbies?

Gardening, cooking, traveling

What is your guilty pleasure?

Imported cheese

Name one thing you’ve always wanted to do.

Study estuaries---at an estuary

What is one thing you’d like to see in Nixa?

More science equipment!

What book are you reading right now?

The Ministry of Guidance Invites You to Not Stay (about a journalist and his family visiting Iran)

Who is one person you would like to meet?

Charles Elliott, a gardening author

Angie McGuirk, Education Specialist

Where is your hometown?
I was born in St. Louis, but raised in Nevada, MO.

Tell a little about your family.
My husband, Dustin, and I have one son, Jaden, who is in fourth grade at JTSD.
 

Name one thing most people don’t know about you.

I have climbed a glacier in Alaska (Byron Glacier).   
 
What was your favorite subject in school?

My sixth grade year made it a toss-up.  My reading teacher (Mrs. Dryer) read aloud to us every day, which made me fall in love with reading, and my math teacher (Mrs. Brockmeyer) helped me understand math in a way I never had before.
 
Name three things you could not live without.
Family, friends, and faith.
 

Name three things you COULD live without.
Negativity, coconut, and raw tomatoes.

Why did you come to work in Nixa?
I wanted to challenge myself and I knew that Nixa was the best.
 

What is the best thing about your job?
Since this position is new for me, it's more difficult to see that I'm making a positive impact on students.  This is why I really love when a teacher emails me or takes a minute to tell me that something I shared helped them in some way.  I still want to know I'm making a difference!
 

What are your hobbies?
I like hunting and fishing with my family.
 

What is your guilty pleasure?
Any form of ridiculous reality TV.  I know, it's sad...
 

Name one thing you’ve always wanted to do.
I'd like to speak another language.  I took Spanish in high school and I can play Spanish bingo fluently, but that's about all I remember.
 

What is one thing you’d like to see in Nixa?
I'd like unlimited funds for our school district.
 

What book are you reading right now?
Standards-based grading books...lots of them!  Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst and The Duck Commander Devotional.
 

Who is one person you would like to meet?
Jesus