By Joe Schmidt Posted October 20, 2010
Three new teachers have brought a variety of experience and backgrounds to Lowry this year. These teachers are Jen Partee, Cristyne Marshall, and Thomas Newland.
Partee started her career in education in 1991. She has taught special education, ESL, and has also been an aide. This year is her first official year of teaching. Partee has lived in Winnemucca for seven years and has been involved in the school district for six years, during which she taught at Sonoma Elementary School.
Timing was the main factor for her coming to Lowry.
“I was offered this position at the high school and thought that it would be a great challenge and a lot of fun to do,” said Partee.
She loves the switch from elementary to the high school level. The only difference she sees is mostly the change in size, but some things stay the same. “We discovered yesterday that high schoolers still like to work for stickers,” said Partee.
Partee has attended UNR and is currently taking courses at Great Basin College. She plans to return to UNR to get her degree in special education.
Marshall has lived in Winnemucca for two years. Before Lowry, she worked for the Humboldt Human Development Services. She originally moved here because her husband found a job at Winnemucca Farms.
Marshall previously lived in Maryland, where she earned a degree in mathematics at Salisbury University. Later she got her Masters in Education, with a background in mathematics.
Marshall likes it at Lowry so far.
“The kids are a lot better behaved here,” said Marshall after stating that there were many fights at her previous school. “The students actually care about their education.”
Marshall does not know what her future has in store for as far as staying in Winnemucca or moving.
“It’s actually a nice town,” said Marshall. “It’s quite different than what we are used to, but it’s not a place I want to get away from.”
Newland grew up in Colorado. He went to high school in the small town of Brush, CO. He was part of state championship football teams and track teams.
Later, he attended Fort Collins Colorado State University and played college football.
Newland is an outdoorsman, “I like to hike and mountain bike,” said Newland. He also likes woodworking. Newland originally went to school to be an industrial arts teacher.
“I did that for about three years and I got bored so I got into the sciences,” said Newland.
Newland moved to Winnemucca “to get back to Nevada.”
“I like Winnemucca,” said Newland, “It has the small town feel but it’s still big enough to have some things to do.”
