New teachers prepare for first day at Gehlen Catholic School

Elizabeth Rogers

Elizabeth Rogers of Blair, Neb. will start her teaching career at Gehlen Catholic High School this fall. A recent graduate of Northwestern College in Orange City, Rogers will teach high school Spanish levels 1-4.

She recently spent a semester studying abroad in Costa Rica.

Elizabeth says looking forward to having her own classroom and the upcoming school year, which starts Aug. 21.

"I'm excited to begin teaching and get kids excited about learning," she said.

Mark Drier

Another new face at Gehlen Catholic Middle School is Mark Drier of Bloomington, Minn. Drier will be teaching middle school math and coaching as well.

Graduating from Iowa State University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering, Drier decided in 2006 to go back to school to earn his teaching certification.

"My dad was a public school teacher," Drier said. "I felt like there was something bigger and better out there so I decided to pursue teaching."

Receiving his interim teaching license this summer, Drier will teach middle school math part-time at Spalding Catholic in Granville in the morning and Gehlen Catholic in the afternoon.

He will also coach 7th and 8th grade volleyball at Gehlen this fall.

"I'm looking forward to coaching," Drier commented. "I really enjoy school athletics."

The new middle school math teacher says that he is also looking forward to working with students and creating a good learning experience.

Maria Valon

Maria Valon will be teaching 11th and 12th grade English at Gehlen this year and heading up the school's yearbook and newspaper.

She will teach classes like journalism, American literature and creative writing to the upperclassmen.

"I like their enthusiasm when they get involved," she said. "You've got to hold them to high expectations, and it's very, very rewarding."

Valon grew up on a farm near Estherville but spent her last two years teaching at St. Labre Catholic Indian School in southeast Montana.

"I felt called to come closer to home," she said.

After living in a remote Montana area where she had to drive 8 miles to fill jugs with spring water to drink, Valon said her first drive through Le Mars was interesting.

"If anybody would have seen me, they would have laughed," she said. "I was so excited -- there's McDonald's and Wal-Mart right in town. I'm re-acclimating myself to civilization."

Valon graduated from St. Mary's College of Madonna University in Orchard Lake, Mich., north of Detroit, and finished her Master of Arts degree during her years in Montana.

In her free time, Valon is working on a collection of creative writing based on her experiences out west.

"It's poetry, prose, short stories, pictures, journaling," Valon said. "It chronicles my time out there. Life is very different."