New teachers correctly identified

EDITOR’S NOTE: In last week’s Back-to-School special section, the News mistakenly switched two of the photos that went with the new teacher bios. Those two portions of the article are reprinted below. The News apologizes for this error. 

Also, the list of teacher assignments from the school inadvertently left off the name of veteran secondary English instructor Melanie Anderson, who will teach junior high ELA.

Whitney Bennett

Whitney Bennett will be teaching math to third and fourth graders at the elementary school. 

With seven years of experience in education, Bennett taught at Bowie Elementary School in Abilene last year, at Dale Elementary in Dale, Oklahoma in 2015, at Canyon Ridge Intermediate School in Mustang, Oklahoma in 2013 and at Northeast Elementary in Elk City, Oklahoma in 2012.

Bennett has a bachelor of science in education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

“My goal for this school year is to see growth in my students, both in math and as developing members of the community, from the beginning of the school year to the end,” Bennett said.

Heather McClure

Heather McClure will be teaching third grade science and social studies, along with fourth grade Texas history.

McClure graduated from McMurry University in the fall of 2010. She has a bachelor of science in multidisciplinary studies. 

McClure is coming from Clyde ISD. While there, she taught keyboard, sixth grade social studies, and eighth grade U.S. history. She has also served Abilene ISD as an at-risk tutor for first and second graders.

McClure plans to make history fun and interesting for her students.

“I have already decorated my room and I’m excited to meet my students,” McClure said. “My goal this year is to get my students excited about science and social studies by doing lots of hands on learning.”