Le Mars Community Schools will start the year with a few staff changes. A new elementary art teacher, assistant middle school principal and high school special education teacher are making preparations to begin the year at LCS.

Kimberly Strohbeen

Strohbeen will be bringing a splash of color to the LCS elementary as a part-time art teacher. A Sioux City native, Strohbeen received her Bachelor of Arts from Morningside College and recently completed her Master of Arts in art education at the University of Northern Iowa.

She student taught in two Sioux City elementaries and one middle school.

The Le Mars job caught her attention, she said, because she'd heard the district's reputation for education was strong.

"The district is so wonderful," she said. "I was really attracted to the people here."

She likes that the size of the district makes it possible for students to build relationships with their teachers.

"I'm excited to get to know the students' personalities as they create pieces of art," she said. "And I can be a mentor to them as well."

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When she's not teaching, Strohbeen may be making some art of her own.

She prefers oil painting, abstract subject matter and large canvases.

"They're usually 4-6 feet tall, and usually very bright," she said.

Students and parents might get to see some of her art decorating her classroom.

Christopher Schmit

Schmit joins the LCS staff as the assistant middle school principal.

After five years of teaching sixth and seventh grade students at Waterloo, Schmit is looking forward to working at LCS from the administrative angle.

"The biggest thing I'm excited about is learning something new," he said. "I think I'll get to interact with more students and work with more teachers."

He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a bachelor's degree in middle school and elementary education, then earned his master's degree there in principalship.

Schmit grew up on a farm near Gilbertville, near Waterloo. He said he was glad to venture to the northwest corner of the state for this job.

"It was someplace new. And it doesn't hurt that it's the Ice Cream Capital of the World," he laughed. "It's a nice size of community -- you can get to know people."

Schmit and his fiancé Bobbi Iverson will be living in Le Mars -- they bought a house and he's busy fixing it up during his off-time.

"I've done some painting and took a little carpet out," he said.

A Cubs fan, Schmit also enjoys watching and playing sports.

Shane Hessenius

Serving one year at LCHS in the tutorial room as a teacher's aide, Shane Hessenius will be switching roles and teaching high school special education classes starting this fall.

A 1998 LCHS graduate, Hessenius is familiar with the school's athletic program and will coach ninth grade football, ninth grade wrestling while also serving as the assistant boys tennis coach during the coming school year.

Hessenius is a graduate of Loras College in Dubuque and taught in the Dubuque Community School District for four years before returning to his roots in Le Mars.

"My wife and I are both from the area," said Hessenius.

Shane and Andrea Hessenius have one son, Brock.