Rieke Elementary SchoolKyla Walker & Rob Herder
We are looking forward to meeting our Room 18 parents.
Room 18 Welcome Letter
Welcome to 5th grade! We’ve been busy preparing for the 2011-2012 school year. This year we, Mr. Herder and Mrs. Walker, will be teaching in a job share position. “Job sharing” is when two teachers take the responsibility for one full-time teaching position. Some of the benefits to this type of arrangement include collaborative lesson planning, a variety of teaching styles, educational talents, and skills, as well as, multiple perspectives on how to challenge and meet the needs of every student. We believe that communication is the key to a successful year and will do our best to communicate with you and each other throughout the school year. During the first week of school, we will teach together everyday. A yearlong teaching schedule will be published on our website and sent home on the first day of school.
We thought you might be interested about your new teachers, so we’re also writing to introduce ourselves.
Mr. Herder
This is really my first bio here at Rieke, so here it goes. This is my 17th year teaching and 12th year at Rieke. I have taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. I am also the head baseball coach at Lincoln High School. I work with a wide range of students to say the least. I have an Associates Degree in Graphic Design and a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education from University of Portland. I look forward to each year as a winning season, not only on the field but in the classroom as well. Teaching, in general, is a passion for me, but honestly, math and science are my favorites! My wife, Sandra, and I just celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. Sandra and I have two boys, Hayden, soon to be 20, and Eldon, just shy of 17. I can’t wait to see all the eager and slightly nervous students to what is shaping up to be a truly memorable 2011-2012 school year.
Mrs. Walker
My husband and I moved to Portland from Oklahoma in 1996. Ronnie and I have been married for 15 years and have two children. Jack is going into 4th grade and Katie is beginning kindergarten this year at Stephenson Elementary. I have a Master of Arts in Teaching, a Reading Endorsement, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Behavioral Studies from George Fox University. I earned the rank of Sergeant in the United States Army Reserves and was the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of the Respiratory Department in a Combat Support Hospital (CSH). Most recently, I worked as a Registered Respiratory Therapist in the Emergency Room and Critical Care Units at Providence Portland Medical Center. Throughout my military and medical careers, I have had many opportunities to teach a diverse group of people. I have spent 6 years volunteering at Childs View Montessori and Stephenson Elementary focusing on literacy in early childhood and elementary classrooms. We are going to have an outstanding 2011-2012 school year and I am looking forward to meeting all of you.
Snack & Water Bottles
We will have snack every day. Please pack a small, healthy snack. It’s most convenient to pack this snack separate from your lunch and in the outside pocket of your backpack. Drinking water throughout the day is encouraged. There are drinking fountains located in the hallway and one in our classroom. You are welcome to bring a reusable water bottle with your name on it.
This year you will make new friends, be introduced to new books and authors, continue to grow in your math and writing skills, complete new science experiments, attend field trips, and grow together as a class. It will be a memorable year!
Go Rockets!
Mr. Herder and Mrs. Walker
