New teachers are welcomed to town

RANDOLPH — There will be a familiar face back in the halls at Randolph Elementary this school year.

Kelsey Gubbels will be the new teacher for third grade but she’s already comfortable with the school as she completed her student teaching requirement in Randolph with Joan Albers in Kindergarten.

“I am so excited to be back, working in the community and getting more involved where I live and plan to raise my children,” she said.

Gubbels grew up in Blair and received her bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has previously taught at a Norfolk elementary school for three years and is working on her master’s degree in K-8 school counseling from W a y n e State College.

She said she’s always wanted to be a teacher and it’s fun to live out her dream.

“I love working with kids and helping them reach their full potential,” she said.

Gubbels will join Paige Hegge and Jennifer Crosley as new teachers at Randolph this year.

Crosley is also familiar with Randolph. As a Newcastle student, she played many basketball and softball games in town.

“I have had my fair share of twist cones from the Frozen Cow,” she said with a smile.

Crosley will be teaching sixth grade English Language Arts and fifththrough eighth-grade Math. She will also be helping with some home rooms at the high school. She graduated from Wayne State

She graduated from Wayne State with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and endorsements in reading, writing and early childhood. She previously taught Science and English for Niobrara middle school students and also coached drama and speech.

She said she is commuting from Newcastle for now but hopes to find a house in the community. Her children will also be joining the Randolph school system this year: Ella, 8, as a third-grader, and Melanie, 4, in preschool. Connor, 2, will be attending daycare.

“Everyone has been so welcoming and I cannot be more grateful,” Crosley said. “I am very excited to become an active member of the Randolph community.”

She’s looking forward to learning right along with her students this year and has many projects planned in Math and some virtual field trips in English.

“I have high expectations for growth for students as an individual,” she said. “I love that every day is literally an adventure. Watching students’ eyes light up as they make real-world connections to topics happening in the classroom brings me so much joy.” Newer to the school and community,

Newer to the school and community, Hegge will serve as the special education teacher for Kindergarten through 12th grade and will also be the assistant girls basketball coach.

Originally from Pender, Hegge will be commuting from Crofton. She graduated from Wayne State with her bachelor’s degree and also received an endorsement for coaching. Hegge previously worked at Pender and Howells-Dodge schools.

“My husband is from there (Crofton) and we have always wanted to move back to this area,” she said. “I have heard great things about the school district.”

Hegge said she’s excited to build relationships with students, parents and colleagues while getting to know the town.

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