Every year Abraham Lincoln High School has new faculty to welcome to the building. This year, there are 11 new faculty members at the school. They all said they were excited to be here teaching and were more than happy to be interviewed. This will include interviews with half the new staff, with LPTV covering the other half.
We were able to interview 5 of the 11 teachers, being
- Adam Loftis: Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Tammy Gubbles: Math Teacher
- Nick Anderson: Vocal Music
- Hillary Blayney: Media Teacher
- Phil Burlingame: Special Education.
We asked them how their first weeks have been, how they feel about AL, their expectations for their students, their teaching experience, and more.
Each teacher has a different backstory and reason to join the Abraham Lincoln faculty.
Mrs. Blayney: “My mom taught at Kirn for 25 years and really liked the district, I heard that there was a journalism opening. I kind of knew (journalism adviser) Mr. Appel briefly, and knew he taught here for a long time, so I applied. I also knew (principal) Ms. Bellows. Just knowing there were a couple good people helped.”
Mr. Burlingame: “I retired but I wanted to continue teaching. I would have had to sit out at least a year in Nebraska to start reteaching. So I said, ‘Why not Council Bluffs?’ It’s about the same size as Bellevue, where I’m from and where I taught. I’ve known Mr. Novotny for years. I also knew there were other teachers that I’ve taught with before. I had the opportunity to either go to TJ or AL. After talking on the phone with Mr. Novotney, he gave me the low down, he goes, ‘Phil we’re from Bellevue, you know. Same blue collar, hard working folks.’ That’s why. That’s the school I want to join.”
Mr. Anderson: “AL provided an opportunity for me to continue working in a larger school district, while also moving closer to my family. Family is really important to me and my parents have retired and my sisters are in the Council Bluffs area. It was a great opportunity to move home, if you will.”
Coach Loftis: “High School Strength and Conditioning positions are few and far between. It’s a very young field in the high school sector.” I am a huge advocate of having certified strength and conditioning coaches in high schools. We need to make sure that we are setting student-athletes up for success both on and off the playing field.”
Mrs. Gubbles: “I taught at Treyner for the past two years and then I taught at Glenwood for three years before that. I’ve only had a license since 2018. So before that, I was a public accountant for over 28 years, so second career for me.”
With new teachers come their own personal expectations of the school and of their students, so what are those expectations?
Mr. Anderson: “For the kids to do the best that they can. And provide an experience where they can feel successful or have a successful coral experience.”
Mrs. Blayney: “To survive. Probably just to hopefully recruit more kids for the journalism program and work with Appel to get kids to produce good work that other people can see.”
Mr. Burlingame: “My expectations are to be in relationships with the students that I work with. And to learn the AL and Council Bluff way…It will make it easier on me. So I’ll be pulling my hair, even though I don’t have much. After all of that I think everything will go a lot smoother. The opportunity to go see students at volleyball games, football games, or I have a student here that does color guard. That’s why I still do this. I could have retired. But I still enjoy doing this. I still enjoy the connective-ness.”
Coach Loftis: “We will have the E.D.G.E.”
“Effort – the only thing directly under your control, requires everyone’s best at all times, athletes and coaches. I need your 100% for the day
Discipline – calls for sacrifice and doing what is right, remembering what you want. Do what you’re supposed to do even when you don’t feel like it
Goals – will guide and evaluate our preparation. Reevaluating as we move forward and always moving the needle in a positive direction.
Execution – will be our top priority, proper form is key.”
Mrs. Gubbles: “I just want kids to learn math, I want them to enjoy math. That’s my only expectation of myself, to help kids enjoy math cause let’s face it a lot of kids don’t enjoy math…and I know a lot of kids don’t like my class right now but I’m still just figuring out what works and right now I’m just trying to teach what I’m supposed to teach and then I’ll add in the fun stuff.”
The new additions to the AL Lynx have a few words to start out the year.
Mrs. Gubbles: “You are never too old to follow your dream.”
Mr. Loftis: The first week is always a bit of a challenge. I want to make sure that I am learning students’ names and establishing expectations in the weight room. I want students to be prepared and know what to expect when they enter the weight room.
Mr. Anderson: “So far so good. There’s been a lot of things to wrap my head around since it’s a new school year. Like learning everyone’s names.”
Mr. Burlingame: “Opportunity to expand my wardrobe. Get some AL stuff. I like that opportunity. It’s been a blessing to start here. I can’t see how it’s not going to get better from here.”
