Union names its top teachers of the year

The Columbia Falls Teachers Union announced their 2011-2012 Teachers of the Year during their annual end of the year celebration. Recipients were chosen by ballot by their colleagues from each respective school.

• Ruder Elementary — Shannon Sommers holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in elementary education from Western Montana College and has 24 years of teaching experience, including 22 in Columbia Falls. She will teach kindergarten at Ruder this fall.

• Glacier Gateway Elementary — Kristy Gange holds a Bachelor’s of Science in education from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s of Education from Lesley University with an emphasis in educational technology. She has taught for 14 years in Columbia Falls.

• Columbia Falls Junior High — Jenny Stone holds degrees in art and home economics from Boise State University and has 29 years of teaching experience, with the last four in Columbia Falls. She will teach art at Columbia Falls High School this fall.

• Columbia Falls High School — Brooke Nelson holds a Bachelor’s of Science in art education from the University of Oregon and has 33 years of teaching experience, including 31 in Columbia Falls. Nelson retired at the end of the 2011-2012 school year and plans to study and teach art at Flathead Valley Community College.