Our staff is dedicated to our mission:
"...to enable a child to be a thinking, caring, productive person using high academic standards in a positive environment"
Each of us, as with our students, have different talents. Please learn about our staff here. Information will be added as it is provided.
Nancy Jeanne Armstrong-Montes
Mrs. Nancy Jeanne Armstrong-Montes is a veteran teacher of forty-one years. She began teaching at St. Mary's Mission in the fall of 1971. After four years of teaching Grade One, Miss Armstrong came to Nespelem School in the fall of 1975 as teacher for Grade Three. During her thirty-seven years at Nespelem School, Mrs. Armstrong-Montes has taught: Grade Three, Grade Five, Combinations of Grade One-Two and Two-Three, 6th Grade Social Studies, Title I Reading, and Grade Four. Mrs. Armstrong-Montes is passionate about teaching. She particularly enjoys teaching: Social Studies, Art, Music, and taking the 4th Graders to Lost Lake.
Miss Armstrong became Mrs. Armstrong-Montes in August of 1978 when she and Dennis Montes were married at Sacred Heart Church in Nespelem in August of 1978, Dennis Montes has worked as an accountant for the Colville Tribe for the past thirty years. They hav two daughters, Brita and Morgan. Brita is a nurse practioner and Morgan is a tax analyst for the state of Washington. Both girls are married. Brita and Captain Kelly Sanders of the U. S. Army have been married for seven years. They have one son, Franklin, who was born in May of 2011. Morgan and Ben Flores have been married for two years. Morgan and Ben have two dogs and are thinking about children. Mrs. Armstrong-Montes is called Grandma Armstrong and Dennis is just called Grandpa.
The 2011-2012 school year will be Mrs. Armstrong-Montes' last year of teaching at Nespelem School. She plans to retire and be a fulltime Grandma and complete the book she started three summers ago. The Monteses will continue to live in Nespelem and Mrs. Armstrong-Montes will visit the coast frequently to spend time with Franklin. At this year's Christmas Progam on Tuesday, December 19th Mrs. Armstrong-Montes is asking all her former students from the past forty years to come on stage and sing "The Little Drummer Boy." Mrs. Armstrong-Montes thinks she has taught over 800 students during her forty-one years of teaching.
Brock Belgarde
Brock Belgarde is our new Cultural Coordinator for the
2011-2012 school year. Brock is a Colville Tribal member and was born and
raised in Omak, WA. After graduating from Washington State
University in the spring
of 2011 he relocated back to the Omak area to pursue a career in education. Before
finishing a bachelor’s degree in History, Brock coached football at Omak and Okanogan High School. He will be continuing his
passion for football as an assistant coach for our Middle School Football team.
Brock hopes to enrich the educational experience our students by presenting the
colorful history and culture of the Colville Confederated Tribes.
Sheri Edwards
SHERI EDWARDS is our Technology Director and full-time middle school Language Arts teacher. She has taught 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students at our school over the past twenty-five years. For ten years she taught the Talented and Gifted Program (That Star Club). She comes to our school via Bismarck, North Dakota and Spokane, Washington. She participated early in the
Teacher Leadership Project of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, adding to her passion for 21st Century teaching and learning. Her classroom encourages readers and writers to blossom as they connect with other students globally, considering others’ ideas. Digital citizenship, media literacy, and equity in tech access are her passions. She has a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from
Eastern Washington University and
extensive training and classroom practice for applying technology in the classroom. She has been a guest blogger for
Children's Literature and created a site for newbie tech teachers at
AskWhatElse. Everyday she asks her students and herself, "What Else?" What else could we solve, do research, read, write, ponder, collaborate, help? She knows that all kids can learn, and that we are all smart in many ways. Read more at her class blog
What Else, teaching reflections
Ask What Else, and class newsletter blog at
NSDEdwards. The student class site is at
WRITE.
Dean Erickson is one of our middle school reading teachers and also teaches social studies and physical education. He has taught 4th-8th grade and has coached every sport at Nespelem. He started at Nespelem in the Fall of 1980 after getting his degree from Central Washington University. His philosophy on education is that school starts at home. He believes that parents need to step up and take more responsibility in their child’s education. Mr. Erickson enjoys outdoor recreation, crabbing and clamming with his brother in Birch Bay and just hanging out with family and friends. He resides in Electric City living the dream on the shores of Banks Lake.
Will Johnson is our new math and science teacher in the 6-8th grade. He comes from Spokane where he taught high school mathematics for the past four years. In his free time Mr. Johnson enjoys outdoor activities including camping, rock climbing, hunting and cross country skiing. Mr. Johnson is looking forward to a school year filled with good times and hard work.
Kaitlyn Reidt is our 5th Grade teacher. She is a new hire to our school. She has worked in education for the last year and is a recent college graduate. She graduated from Multnomah University in Portland, OR in the spring of 2011. She comes to our school after being a substitute teacher in the Wilbur School District. She is from Wilbur and currently lives there. Her hope for her class this year is to teach the fifth graders to become independent learners who are positive role models in the school.
Sharon Watkins
Serving
Nespelem SD as vision/mobility specialist since 2009 is Sharon Watkins.
A native of Texas, Sharon has called the Northwest “home” since 1986.
She received
undergraduate and graduate degrees in general and special education in
Texas and New Mexico, and has received many additional courses of
training in various aspects of visual impairment all across the West.
She has worked as a vision specialist in Spokane
and rural districts of eastern WA and western OR for 25 years. Her
other passion for the past 10 years has been teaching conversational
English in eastern Europe.
Bethany Williams
Bethany Williams is the second grade teacher. This is her third year here at Nespelem and her second year in second grade. Bethany received her BA in finance and economics from Eastern Washington University. After working as a para-professional for 6 years, she took the leap and earned her Masters in Teaching from Washington State University. This year, she is working on her professional certification through the state. Aside from work, Bethany has two wonderful sons that keep her busy and on the go. Outside of teaching, she just earned her SCUBA certification, is an avid downhill skier, and has a passion for motorcycle riding in the summer.
