Each year we spend some time celebrating our educators in the community by learning about the programs they offer, seeing how we can help pray for their students and programs, and providing donations as needed. Please see the educators below and we ask that all donations are submitted by September 1st to the church office.

Mandy Bailey

Dear Church Family,

I’m Mandy Bailey, counselor & coordinator for the Step One Program at WCHS. We provide support & advocacy for high school students 1 period per day for 3 years. We become a family throughout our time together. We work on homework & life skills. Last year, we had a great year connecting, building relationships, and visioning for the future. Students had the opportunity to tour local businesses, participate in community service, and go on college visits. 

Prayers Needed: For students to feel valued & loved unconditionally and that their hearts would be open to learning and growing.

Donations Needed: 

1. Individually packaged snacks (fruit snacks, poptarts, granola bars, cheez-its, goldfish crackers, other crackers, pretzels, etc.) – this is a HUGE part of our program! 🙂
2. Small gift cards ($5) for incentives (Starbucks, McDonalds, Subway, etc.)

People Needed: Do you own a business, work at a college, or have a particular skill to share? Looking for volunteers to come in to speak to our students about employability skills, job opportunities, or other future-oriented topics. 

Thank you all for considering helping and praying. Each year, you all provide tremendous support to our program and we are ever so grateful!

Thanks,

Mandy Bailey

Emily Gough

Hi, I’m Emily Gough, 17th year teaching, the last 10 years at Warsaw Community High School. I currently teach Environmental Science and Zoology.

I am teaching a new class this year- it’s a peer tutoring class where my high school students will prepare lessons and then go into the elementary schools to teach the you get students about animals through dissections.

I work really hard to plan and organize field trips for my classes. This past year I went on a new one with my Honors Zoology class to the Black Pine Animal Sanctuary- for a tour led by a former student!

No matter what they study, what interests they have, etc. that they had a teacher who cared about them and appreciated their unique talents.

I pray that every student finds their happy place, whatever class, club, or activity that might be!

Here’s my wish list link, in general the most helpful thing is shelf-stable healthy snacks:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/B6QRBWW3Y1LW?ref_=wl_share – Small deodorants to hand out to students, pre-packaged snacks, candy, and thank you notes.

Jenni McCammon

Hello! I am Jenni McCammon. Kindergarten at Jefferson, 2nd year in Kindergarten , 22nd year as an educator.

Since this is my 2nd year in Kindergarten, I am trying some new procedures in the classroom to help the flow and add more time to learning! I am very proud of our kindergarten team, we work well together to grow all of our Ks!

I would love if my students remembered and know “I CAN!” even if the skill/task seems hard; there will be mistakes and you will need to practice, but you will do it, you will succeed! 

Every year our children bring with them their home lives; prayers that I can help them with a hug or a listening ear, what they need at the time, while being strong myself when it’s hard to hear and process what this little child is going through.

Here are my wish list items: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3JOV8XBF3HWJ6?ref_=wl_share – Legos, and individually portioned snacks.

David Bailey

My name is David Bailey, I am the Principal at Gateway Education Center and I’ve been a teacher for 23 years. This will be my first full year at Gateway so it is all fairly new to me.  However, I really want to create a library of recordings of students stories.  I would like to focus on stories of success, Empathy, and unsung heroes in their lives. Very proud of the people I work with and their efforts to get students the credits they need to graduate.

I hope students remember that I care about them. I pray for patience, healing for broken spirits, hope for the future.

We are in need of non-perishable food that we can send home with students.  Cooking supplies for our functional skills students (baking supplies, cupcake wrappers, cookie, brownie mix, etc.)

Kim Kelley

My name is Kim Kelley.  This is my third year teaching preschool at Triton Elementary School.

This year I am looking forward to trying something called friendship workshop.  It’s a way of teaching social emotional skills that encourages classroom community and collaboration.

Last year I really enjoyed our study of penguins.  We researched where different types of penguins were from, their sizes and distinguishing characteristics.  We even compared our height to theirs!

I really want my students to remember me as a kind and caring teacher.  That I helped them to feel loved and safe at school.

Please pray for my students to be safe in their home and school lives and for my ears to be listening when they talk and my heart to be open and caring.

Below is a list of items I need for my classroom.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/OO8XE54L10OR?ref_=wl_share – dress up clothes, Crayola items (markers, crayons, etc.), paper towels, plastic animal toys

Sara Rode

My name is Sara Rode. I’m beginning my 22nd year of teaching 2nd grade of my 29 year teaching career. I teach at Claypool Elementary School which is one of the eight elementary schools within Warsaw Community Schools.

I consider myself a lifelong learner, so I am always trying/learning new things. This summer attended a 3 day virtual STEAM conference. I also participated in a book study hosted by WCS, and several webinars to learn more about the Science of Reading, and Math. I got so many ideas that I am looking forward to trying out with my students.

I want my students to remember me for being a caring, empathetic teacher, who really does care about who they are as individuals, and their needs. 

My prayer for the school year would be for everyone to adjust to several staff changes easily, be supportive of each individual (staff and students), and be ready to learn together. 

Thank you, in advance, for any help with fulfilling my Wish List for this school year! Here’s the link to my Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/11PPDU7RZZ6Q3?ref_=wl_share – assorted books, broom and dust pan, donations.

Lindsey Wallen

Hi! I’m Lindsey Wallen and I teach 4th Grade Dual Language at Leesburg Elementary. I am looking forward to integrating more social studies and science curriculum into literacy this year! I always love teaching our Titanic unit and I have enjoyed learning some different strategies for teaching math.

I want students to remember that they are loved and capable of anything they try. I want them to remember that with a good work ethic, they can accomplish anything. I want to instill a lifelong love of learning and commitment to growing oneself. I want them to learn to be problem solvers, not problem creators. 

I have a new team member from Columbia this year. She has taught for 2 years in Warsaw. She is a wonderful teacher and I pray that she finds happiness and contentment in this grade level and in our town 🙂

This year I’m asking for snacks, they are always something all children enjoy. We have a snack time every afternoon which really serves as a pick me up for students since our special time is in the morning. We had trouble stocking snacks for all of 4th grade last year so prepackaged snacks would be greatly appreciated. Students love anything from crackers to cookies, fruit snacks, granola bars, etc…
Lindsey Wallen

4th Grade DLI