Marshall County schools kicked off on August 23. And this fall, there are a few new faces around both the Britton-Hecla and Langford Area Districts.
Four new certified educators were welcomed at B-H this year. Whitney Jensen, Amber Key, Emily Hrabik and Salina Peña, and two new teachers started at Langford Area: Morgan Erickson and Kaitlin Simon.
The teachers answered a few questions to help the community get to know them.
Whitney Jensen
Whitney Jensen will be teaching first grade this year at Britton-Hecla. She has spent the last four years teaching primary grades in Ellendale, ND.
Jensen grew up in the Black Hills and graduated from Sturgis. Her family now lives in Miller. She earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education with a certificate in Elementary Education from SDSU and a master's degree in Educational Leadership from NDSU.
Jensen said that her goals this school year are to get to know the students and staff and make learning fun.
She enjoys spending time with her husband Thad and daughter Wynn. She also enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with friends.
Amber Key
Amber Key is back in the Britton-Hecla School District after a few years away. She will be teaching at Westwood Colony in grades first through third and overseeing kindergarten.
Key is from Bagley, MN. She graduated from Trinity Bible College with General Education, Elementary Education, and Biblical Studies degrees.
Out of college, Key worked in LaMoure, ND with the High School Special Education Department. “From there I filled two years as a substitute and aide before teaching at Westwood Colony for five years,” she explained. “I took a few years off, and now I’m excited to be back.”
“As a teacher, I want to help raise a generation that is self-motivated, recognizes that we never stop learning, and is inspired to represent our wonderful community well- wherever they go,” Key said regarding her goals for this year and beyond.
When not in the classroom, Key enjoys travelling, singing in the car, and gardening. She also loves to spend time with her family, which includes her husband Jason and kids Maci, Alanna, Danielle, Obadiah and Eli.
Emily Hrabik
Emily Hrabik is also back at B-H after a short break from teaching. This Britton native will be teaching Middle School Special Education this year.
Hrabik earned her Elementary Education degree from Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Teaching has taken her across the country. She taught kindergarten and first grade in Arizona for two years before returning to the area. She then taught fourth grade and first grade at Britton-Hecla for six years. She is currently working on her special education endorsement through the University of Sioux Falls.
Hrabik is happy to be back in a school setting. “Last year, I stepped away from the teaching world to find that my heart longed to be back in the school with the kids,” she emphasized.
“I hope to build strong relationships and provide the tools, skills and support my students need to achieve their full potential,” Hrabik stressed.
Outside of school, she can be found spending time with her husband and three sons Tre (6), Rocky (4), Briggs (2). She also enjoys time at the lake, cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles, and reading a good book.
Salina Peña
Salina Peña joins the Britton-Hecla district this year and will be teaching sixth grade science and sixth and seventh grade social studies.
Peña is originally from Phoenix, Arizona. She holds multiple degrees including a master’s in education and soon-to-be master’s in astronomy. She is also currently working on a bachelors in engineering.
Before moving to South Dakota, Peña taught in Arizona. Since being in the state, she has taught at Mike Miller Elementary in Aberdeen and at Enemy Swim Day School.
“My goals as a teacher are to engage all students to explore all the opportunities beyond their grasp,” Peña emphasized.
As far as hobbies go, this teacher loves stargazing, hiking, camping, watching movies, and dressing up for Siouxper Con with her family. “I like to get my geek on!,” she confirmed.
She and her husband Jared have three daughters, Madison, Morgan, and Logan plus a dog named Leo.
Morgan Erickson
Morgan Erickson, a Britton native, is entering her second year of teaching. She moved from the Britton-Hecla district and is now teaching first grade at Langford Area.
Through Northern State University, Erickson obtained a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Early Childhood Education.
Though she taught the lower elementary grades at Westwood Colony through the B-H district last year, Langford Area is actually a familiar place for Erickson. She student-taught in the preschool and kindergarten in the fall of 2021 in Langford.
I am excited to be back in the Langford School District,” Erickson emphasized. “I loved my time as a student teacher, and it feels good to have a job in my ‘new’ hometown.”
Erickson added, “My main goal is to create a fun, safe, and loving environment for my students to partake in. I had a wonderful time setting up my classroom this summer and feel very lucky to have the support of the Langford school in being able to create an environment that fits the needs of all students. Another goal of mine is to make school fun and to inspire my students to want to succeed - inside and outside of the classroom.”
Kaitlin Simon
Kaitlin Simon is a transplant to northeastern South Dakota from Nebraska. She will be teaching 6-12 Social Studies at Langford Area this year.
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in History and Secondary Education. She has taught previously at Simmons Middle School in Aberdeen.
In her free time, Simon says she enjoys spending time with family and friends. “I also enjoy reading books, watching movies, hiking, camping, and going on trips,” she added.
