Michael Christie is teaching seventh grade American History and eighth grade Geography at the middle school in Chatfield. He is a graduate of St. Charles High school and Winona State University with a bachelors in Social Studies Education, grades 5-12. He also has a Masters from Mankato State University in Teaching and Learning with history specialization. He went into the profession of teaching history because he enjoys sharing it with others. This year he is looking forward to getting to know the kids and just having a fun year. In addition to teaching, he will be the eighth grade Washington, D.C. trip coordinator.
He previously taught in Hibbing Minnesota for 13 years but has returned to the area to be closer to family. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his daughter, playing music and guitar, fishing, traveling, reading, powerlifting, and cooking. He also enjoys dogs and horses. On his dream list, he has always wanted to open his own restaurant. If he wins the lottery he can hopefully fulfill that dream, plus own a small horse farm and dog rescue center.
Kyler Reps is a graduate of St. Charles High School and Winona State University. Tyler will be teaching math this year at the high school. Throughout the year he will be teaching algebra, geometry, statistics and introduction to calculus. This is his first year of teaching since student teaching in Byron, Minn., last year. He went into teaching because he realized the importance of having the guidance of male role models in his high school experience and he enjoyed math. He wanted to stay in the area, so the position in Chatfield was very appealing. Since this is his first year as a teacher, he is adjusting to teaching on his own, learning how to efficiently put lessons together to accommodate all learners and time management within the classroom. In addition to teaching, Kyler will be coaching middle school football this fall and middle school baseball in the spring.
In his spare time, Kyler likes to watch sports, especially football and baseball; golf and lift weights.
Welcome to Minnesota, Grace Jones-Hoover! Mrs. Jones-Hoover is a graduate of Iowa Falls-Alden High School in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and has a B.S. Degree of Science in History and Secondary Education with minors in political science, religious studies and psychology. This is her first year of teaching and she will be teaching American history, civics and ninth and 10th grade geography. She chose the teaching profession because she has always wanted to become a teacher as she comes from a teaching family. She feels that teaching is one of the most important and rewarding jobs there is and is excited to get to be a part of it and make a difference in the community and her students’ lives. This year she is looking forward to getting to know the people and community of Chatfield and getting to come up with fun activities and projects for her student to do in class to help them learn about history. She will also be the advisor for the Gaming Club.
In her spare time, she likes to go camping, read or listen to books, do yardwork, walk her dog and do music of some kind, like band or choir. One interesting fact about her is that she was a member of the Iowa State University Varsity Marching Band for four years. She played the trombone and attended and performed at all the home football games and had a blast. She even got to travel to some away games and went to two bowl games in Orlando, Fla.
Mrs. Carmen Berge graduated with a B.S. degree in education and taught for 21 years; 14 years in second grade and seven years in kindergarten in Chatfield. Then the pandemic hit and it played a toll on teachers as well as the students. She tried to adjust to the changing educational scene and taught part-time, thinking that change might help her. Even after teaching part time for a year she decided to leave the school system all together. For the past two years, she has worked at a bank and enjoyed the people and atmosphere there. She became a lead teller and used much of her educational expertise to help her in this position. Then this summer she was approached by a parent who said the district was considering adding another section to kindergarten because of the large number of students registered. That parent asked if she would consider coming back to teaching and applying for the position, if they added another section. Right then and there she knew the answer was yes. It felt right. She had had a break to reassess what she wanted to do for the remainder of her working career and that was that she should come back to teaching. She further added this, “Teaching kindergarten is a tough job. Each day is a new adventure. Somedays are tough, but there is always something good in each day. And each day gets a little easier. I am happy to be back.”
In her spare time, Carmen loves to be outdoors hiking or riding the family’s side by side and spending time with family. She has coached volleyball and softball. She is on the board for the Chatfield Youth Fastpitch Association known as the Fireballs.
Welcome back, Carmen Berge.
Angie Brogan is the new special education teacher for grades 4-6. She is a 2005 graduate of Chatfield High School and graduated from Winona State University in December 2023 with a B.S. degree in K-6 Elementary Education and a minor in coaching. She was a substitute teacher in fourth grade at Washington-Kosciusko Elementary in Winona, Minn., from December 2023 to May 2024. She chose to go into teaching because she loves kid sand loves learning; so sharing that love of learning was a natural choice for her. This year she is looking forward to seeing the growth and progress in her students’ education as well as making the connections and building bonds with them.
Outside of school, Mrs. Brogan is busy with her husband and their five children, ages 6-16. They live on a farm and her children are active in sports, FFA and 4-H. When she finds time for herself, she likes to read, crochet and garden. She has lived in the area her entire life and married her husband who lived five miles from her parents’ farm. They were lucky enough to make their home on the farm and their children go to the St. Charles Elementary school as it’s a bit closer than Chatfield. When asked what was something that people may not know about her, she stated, “If you combine all my years of college, I could have been a doctor.” She has a para educator certificate from 2006, two communication certificates, an AAS in administrative assistance and her elementary teaching degree.”
Grace Myhre is the new special education teacher at the elementary. She is a recent graduate of Winona State University and a graduate of Stewartville High School. Last year she did her student teaching in Stewartville and Chatfield, so she is familiar with the district.
She is looking forward to growing and learning as an educator and person. She looks forward to all the new relationships made and watching her students grow. She chose to go into teaching because she loves to see how children grow and make an impact on them. Seeing the “light bulb” moment and the excitement when they see you and have something to tell you are also reasons she wanted to become a teacher.
In her spare time she loves to hang out with her family and friends. She is also a new mom to a baby girl and that keeps her very busy.
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