Niwot High welcomes new teachers

With students returning to school on Tuesday, Aug. 18, it is time to meet all of the new teachers who will be entering Niwot High School. From PE to English, Niwot is welcoming staff who are prepared to guide students through online learning.

Eric Rasmussen will be teaching pre-IB honors biology, pre-IB chemistry/physics, and IB chemistry SL, with classes spanning across all grades (9-12). Previously, Rasmussen taught chemistry and biology for three years at Silver Creek High School. He also had a position as an instructional coach at Erie High School.

When asked about what inspired him to be a teacher, Rasmussen said in an email, "I grew up in Golden, Colorado, and went to CU Boulder. Here, I majored in ecology and evolutionary biology, and specialized in parasitology (the study of parasites). After I graduated, I worked for the state of Colorado making mathematical models to predict West Nile Virus outbreaks (this was back when West Nile was the thing). With this job I had to teach the public about West Nile, mosquitoes, etc. and found a love for teaching people about science. I therefore changed career courses, and became a teacher." He is very excited for the upcoming school year.

Niwot is also welcoming a new honors English teacher, Emily Walker. Walker will be teaching 10th grade and is very excited to meet all of her new students. She is very familiar with the Front Range as she grew up in Boulder and attended Fairview High School. After moving away from Colorado, Walker spent most of her time in Chicago, where she taught at Simeon Career Academy. She then decided to return to her roots and accept a position at Front Range Community College in Longmont.

When reflecting on her most influential teacher throughout high school, she said in an email, "My favorite high school teacher was Mr. Rothberg, who taught -- no surprise -- English. He was so good at recognizing students' interests, meeting them, and then pushing us further as writers and readers." Walker understands the impact that teachers can make on their students as Mr. Rotheberg inspired her to become an English major in college.

With the 2020-2021 school year approaching, Walker shared her fondest memories from her first day of school. She said, "I must admit that I spent most of my time thinking about what to wear on that first day. My best friend lived down the street, and she and I would spend hours walking around the neighborhood and discussing which plain white t-shirt we were going to wear with our jeans and running shoes. There was a lot of babysitting money poured into making those outfits right."

Liam Poppert will also be a new addition to Niwot High School. He will be teaching biology, Honors biology, and anatomy and physiology to all grade levels. Poppert grew up in Denver, and this will be his first year of teaching.

Looking back on his most memorable teacher, Poppert said, "My favorite teacher in high school was Amy Hanson, who taught me honors and AP chemistry at East High School in Denver in 2015. She was truly passionate about both the content she taught and the students she had in class. She was able to make the content relatable and treated students as capable and responsible.

"I never had an interest in science before her class, but afterwards I was inspired to pursue a degree in biochemistry and devote my life to science and to education." Poppert also shared that one of his most memorable traditions was taking pictures every first day of school before leaving the house.

Niwot is welcoming another English teacher, Ashley Mouw. She is looking forward to her first year of teaching. Mouw grew up in Thornton, CO and later got her teaching license at CSU.

When asked about her high school experience, Mouw said, "My favorite teacher in High School was my English teacher, Ms. Calder. I really loved how she made me feel in her class, I felt challenged academically and loved as a person. We have kept in contact over the years, when I decided to go back to school to become an English teacher I reached out to her for advice. She was nothing but supportive and encouraging in pursuing my new career." Her participation in National Honor Society, Poms, and Soccer formed some of her favorite memories in high school. Mouw believes that your involvement in extracurricular activities makes a significant impact on your high school experience.

Lastly, Nikolas Blume will be entering Niwot as a Health/P.E. teacher. He is also the new head football coach at Niwot. Blume spent his childhood in Valentine, Neb., and previously taught at Lutheran High School in Parker.

Blume shared that before securing a position at Niwot, he heard that it is not only an academically strong school, but that the high school is also part of one the best districts in Colorado. His passion for teaching sparked from his mother, and Blume's love of sports inspired him to teach Health and P.E.

It is going to be a unique start of the school year. Regardless, the teachers are anticipating Aug. 18 and are excited to meet their new students.