As the new school year has started, 17 new faculty members are around campus: four coaches, seven teachers, five paraprofessionals, two custodians, one cafeteria.
Coach and elementary teacher Marlyssa Bontrager said that she wants to form relationships with her students.
“The thing I am most excited about for this year is to form good relationships with my athletes and students,” Bontrager said.
With the athletic department needing a new coaching staff, the new coaches and some of their wives are in the classrooms,
Elementary teacher Cassie Herring, who teaches third grade, said she thought Archer City would be a good place.
“My husband is one of the new football coaches and we chose AC because we thought it was a great fit for our family,” Herring said.
Bontrager said that when she and her husband, Coach Lukas Bontrager, were looking for a new job and was interviewed by Athletic Director Bradan Ritchey they both thought they wanted to be involved with this community.
“We knew right away this is where we wanted to move,”Bontrager said.
With two out of the three English teachers leaving Archer, the school had to fill these roles
High school English teacher Harlan Whatley said he was looking for a new job when he saw that Archer was hiring and thought this school would be a great fit for him.
“I had taken a year off from teaching,” Whatley said. “This school is a good fit for me with the small classes where I can teach my students about various authors.”
As the population of the students have increased, more teachers and paraprofessionals were needed. This school year there are five new paraprofessionals combined in both elementary and high school.
Elementary paraprofessional Jessica Henderson said she loves the teachers at Archer City ISD.
“I love how welcoming the staff is,” said Henderson.
Henderson chose to come to Archer because she has kids in the school and noticed the school needed the help.
“I have two sons in the school district and realized there was a need that I could fill if given the opportunity,” Henderson said.
The dual credit classes that are online need advisers to be in the class with the students to make sure they are doing their work.
Paraprofessional Johnny Bart Hudson goes back and forth from the elementary and high school. He also helps with the dual credit classes. He said he loves it here because the students and teachers are nice and welcoming.
“I graduated from Archer City High School and substituted here last year when the coaches left,” Hudson said. “I love being here with these students and seeing what is different from when I was in school.”
High school principal John Sherrill said he is thrilled about the new faculty. He said the hiring process took a while but now that it is all set and done, everything is great.
“I am absolutely thrilled for our new faculty,” Sherrill said. “Although the hiring season took a while, I believe we hit a home run.”
