GUERNSEY--We continue this week with the introductions of new staff members at Guernsey-Sunrise Schools. This week, meet two more of the elementary teaching staff.

Sheryl Spears - First Grade

Sheryl Spears is teaching first grade at Guernsey-Sunrise Elementary this year. She has plenty of experience, having taught nearly every elementary grade over the past 28 years, primarily in Colorado. She taught kindergarten in Idalia, 1st grade at Craig. and 4th and 5th grades in Anton. She most recently taught 4th, 5th and 6th grades in LaGrange, Wyoming.
She chose to come to Guernsey-Sunrise because requirements in her previous position now included a special education endorsement, which she did not have. Her job search brought her to the district where she was offered the position in first grade.
Sheryl earned her BS Degree in German and Elementary Education K-6 from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. Her elementary certification came from the University of Colorado in Boulder and she received her Master's Degree in Education, Integrating Teaching Through the Arts, from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

She is an Iowa farm girl from near the community of Alta in the northwestern part of the state.
She and her husband Roger recently celebrated 33 years of marriage. They have three children--daughter Sierra is 19 and attending Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida, earning a degree in Zoo Animal Technology. They also have 14-year-old twins Nolan and Isabella "Izzy" Spears, both 8th graders at Lingle-Fort Laramie Middle School.
In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping, biking, drawing, traveling, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

Dana Gale - Fourth Grade

Dana Gale is the fourth grade teacher at Guernsey-Sunrise. This is her 23rd year in teaching, all in Platte County. She received her Associate's Degree in Middle School Education from Eastern Wyoming College, and a Bachelor's Degree in both Elementary Educaiton and Special Education from Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. Her Masters Degree is in Middle Grades Math from the University of Wyoming.  In 2015-2016, she was named Teacher of the Yearfor Platte County School District #1. But after so many years in Wheatland's Middle School, she felt she was ready for a change, and decided to apply in Guernsey, accepting the fourth grade position. She is excited to have a new start and is looking forward to a great year with the fourth graders.

She and her husband Gary have two grown children. Son Thane is a physician in Rapid City with his wife Desiree and two daughters. Daughter Lassen (Gale) Fleege is an English teacher residing in Rockton, Illinois with her husband Nick.
The Gales grew up in Lander but moved to a farm outside of Wheatland in 1981.
In her spare time, she likes to read, swim, sew costumes, ride ATVs and spend time with her family.