(Updated information on Tim Lira biography is below).

by Amber Schmitz, Sumner Newscow — The Wellington school district has six new teachers this year for kindergarten through 12th grade. As the new school year approaches, several new faces will be seen within the district.

Chelsea Urban – Spanish – Wellington High School

Chelsea Urban

Chelsea Urban, of Mayfield, will begin the year as the new Spanish teacher at Wellington High School.

She is a Wellington High School graduate, and earned her Bachelor of Art in Spanish from K-State in 2011. In 2013, she earned her Masters in Second Language Acquisition/Spanish from K-State.

Urban taught Spanish for three years at K-State while earning her graduate degree, then moved to Spain, where she taught English at three different high schools in Santiago de Compostela and Jerez de la Frontera. She also helped teach math, science, history and music classes in English while in Spain. She just moved back to the United States in June.

“It’s an opportunity to share my passion for languages and traveling all around the world,” Urban said.

Traci Hawks – 8th Grade Algebra & Pre-Algebra – Wellington Middle School

Traci Hawks

Traci Hawks, of Wellington, will be the new 8th grade Algebra and Pre-Algebra teacher at the Wellington Middle School.

Hawks graduated with the class of 1992 at Wellington High School. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Math Education from Friends University in 1995, and her Masters in Education from Baker University in 2016.

She and her husband, Dr. Steve Hawks, reside in Wellington and have four daughters.

Hawks student taught at Wichita Northwest High. She previously taught Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Algebra II, Geometry, Applied Math and Integrated Math at Des Moines North High, Iowa; West Union High School, Ohio; Maize High School and Wellington High School.

“I really love getting to know students and helping them recognize and fulfill their potential,” Hawks said. “I truly enjoy the challenge of explaining math for all students

Cecily Jamison – 3rd Grade – Eisenhower Elementary School

Cecily Jamison

Cecily Jamison, of Caldwell, will begin teaching third grade at Eisenhower Elementary School this school year.

She is a Caldwell High School graduate and earned her elementary education degree from Oklahoma State University in December 2014. She previously taught first grade in Perkins, Okla., and Reading Remediation and first grade in Hennessey, Okla.

“I love sharing my enthusiasm for learning, and inspiring students to achieve not only academically, but personally as well,” Jamison said.

Kaitlin Buck – 5th Grade – Lincoln Elementary School

Kaitlin Buck

Kaitlin Buck, of Wellington, will be the new fifth grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. She was raised in Mayfield and attended grades K-12 in Wellington.

She is a Wellington High School graduate, and attended Butler Community College, where she was on the dance team, and Wichita State University.

In May 2015, Buck graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education.

She and Tyler Buck have been married for five years and have two daughters, Tegan, four, a student at Wee Too Preschool, and Raina, who will be two in September.

Buck student taught at Eisenhower Elementary with Pam Renn during the 2014-2015 school year. Last year she taught third grade at Nelson Elementary School in Haysville.

“What I like the most about teaching is being able to watch the children learn and grow,” Buck said. “Watching a child take what I have taught them and actually being able to apply it in real life is so amazing to witness. I also really enjoy getting to make relationships with the youth of the community.”

Amy O’Connor – 5th Grade – Eisenhower Elementary School

Amy O’Connor

Amy O’Connor, of Wichita, will begin the school year as the new fifth grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary School.

She grew up in the south and southeastern United States, as her father was an Air Force pilot, so they moved often.

O’Connor earned her Bachelor in Business Administration and Marketing from Emporia State University in 1989; Bachelor in Education from Newman University in 1991; Master in Management from Friends University in 2001; Master in School Leadership in 2006, also from Friends University; and received her Doctorate in Education Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, Florida, in 2007.

She is married to John Buckendorff, the Assistant Principal at Wellington High School. They have three children: Connor Rankin, age 25, U.S. Air Force; Colby Rankin, 21, pre-med student at Wichita State University; and Katherine Rankin, 18, pre-law student at Butler Community College.

O’Connor began teaching in 1991 at Wichita Public Schools, and student taught at College Hill Elementary in 1990. She taught 4th grade at School of the Magdalen in Wichita for five years; 6th grade in Maize; was a full-time business professor at Southwestern College for three years; business and technology at Goddard High School for seven years; taught 5th-7th science, technology and math curriculum with KS STARBASE for three years. She continues to teach evening business and school leadership courses for Baker University, where she has taught for the past ten years, and also online and evening courses at Butler Community College.

What she likes most about teaching is “Watching the growth and development of my students over the year and motivating students to want to learn; while being able to impact their lives,” O’Connor said.

Tim Lira – Elementary Physical Education

Tim Lira

Tim Lira is a 2003 Wellington High School graduate who will be teaching Kindergarten and first grade physical education for Lincoln, Kennedy and Eisenhower schools.

Lira received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Emporia State University.

He was a student teacher at Mulvane before coming back to his hometown. USD 353 is his first full-time teaching experience.

“I like the idea of helping children develop the physical skills needed for their future,” Lira said. 

Lira knows a little bit about physical fitness. For years he held the Kansas State track record in the 100 meter and 200 meter dash. He broke the records on the big stage at the Kansas State High School Track and Field Championships at Wichita State University on a warm May afternoon in 2003. Those were two Class 4A records Lira held for eight and 11 years. Kansas State University bound football player Morgan Burns broke the 100 4A record in 2011 when he was running for Wichita Trinity. Then in 2014, Colin Coleman of Perry Lecompton broke the 4A record in the 200.

Lira is also an assistant football coach for the Wellington Crusader high school team.

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