In order to refresh the content of summer newsletters, I have decided to regularly "introduce" the new 2012-2013 staff members to you. You know Junior High English Teacher Ashley Skinner. You recently "met" High School English Teacher Meghann Lightfoot. Meet the third Musketeer in that Triumvirate in High School English Teacher Julia Shields! A native of Wisconsin, Julia earned her Bachelor's of Arts in English at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She most recently taughtnfor the Ames Community School District, and she has worked for ChildServe, an agency which provides respite care for families of disabled children. When I (Dr. Bob) hired Meghann earlier in the year, I had received three additional applications after the first round of interviews had been scheduled. We interviewed all three of those candidates when Jeremy Mead took the position of Director of Technology, so God brought another wonderful slate for our consideration when Julia was hired! Praise the Lord for that!

One of Julia's references told me, "She has a really great rapport with students. Kids want to talk to her. She loved coming to school. With her curriculum, she is meticulous. She prepares well. She anticipates student questions. She was great. She's going to be a great teacher. She had no discipline problems. The students had fun, but they were always on-task. The students strived to do well. She's creative, musical, and theatrical. She sings. She would introduce something by singing a tune to it. She has an engaging, connecting presence as a teacher. Her ability to touch students is remarkable. She is so open to constructive criticism. She appreciates when people are honest and open with her. She's like a sponge."

Another one of Julia's references told me, "I couldn't say a bad thing about her. She cares for kids very much. She's willing to help any way she can. She is so gracious with her time. She's a great person. She's always happy, positive, and smiling. She has a strong faith. She and her husband have a great relationship. She has great relationships with her co-workers. Julia is very independent, and she know's what she's doing, so I don't have to pull her along to show her the way, as I do with other staff. She's very concerned about doing the job well.

Another reference, a Principal, stated, "She's an amazing individual and amazing teacher. I've come to know Julia well. We've had some deep conversations about kids and teaching. She's one of those people who scream integrity. She'll go above and beyond your expectations. She's creative. She'll be good for kids, not just with kids. I don't think you can go wrong. I have absolutely no areas of concern. I want to reiterate that there are not that many people any more who make you think of the word, integrity. She's one of those people. She's very real. She understands how to assess students in positive ways. She's good for colleagues. She's very professional. She's incredible. She will fit right in at Des Moines Christian."

Another teaching colleague told me, "She's in a very good spot spiritually. She's incredibly thorough. She's always asking questions for clarification. She can see large project through. She'd be a really huge asset in a teaching team. One thing I really appreciated about her is the care by which she chooses her words in a building way, and she doesn't talk about people behind their backs. She has a super caring heart. She will be fabulous. She'd be a great mentor to students. She's a great example. She's eager to grow - both professionally and spiritually."

A final character reference stated, "She has allowed herself to be challenged by God. She has learned to surrender more and more to God. She has a heart to reach others for Christ. She's a very outgoing person. People are attracted to her energy. She's fun to be around. She and her walk with God are foremost; she married a godly man; it's a neat combination. She's a hard worker. She's feisty. Her energy and desire to do her best would work well in a Christian school."

The interview team made the following observations about Julia Shields:

• Passionate
• Seemed to really love students, wanting to build relationships
• Communicated well
• Effectively integrated biblical truth
• Animated, engaging - important for this age of student
• Good perspective on different learning styles
• Spiritually mature
• Good eye contact
• Loves grammar and writing
• Above and beyond in preparation
• Technologically astute and skilled
• Recognizes the need for structure
• Thinks well on her feet
• Interested in students' interests
• Out-of-the-box thinker

Sounds like we have another good one in the fold for ninth and tenth grade English students! Welcome, Julia!

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