New teachers at Niwot Elementary School 2023 - Part II

This year, Niwot Elementary School has hired six new teachers due primarily to the recent retirements of previous teachers, all of whom worked at the elementary school for at least well over a decade.

In addition to Hanna Sandhoff, Lyndsey Moauro, and Nina Starks, who were profiled (https://www.lhvc.com/story/2023/09/13/education/new-teachers-at-niwot-elementary-2023/8339.html) in an the September 13 issue of the Left Hand Valley Courier, there are three more new teachers at Niwot Elementary this year: Allison Brodacz, Abigail Clemmons and Amanda Woodle.

Allison Brodacz is a new first-grade teacher at Niwot Elementary. She has been a teacher for nine years, having previously taught preschool for seven years. This will be her second year teaching first grade with the St. Vrain Valley School District. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology from Arizona State University and an M.A. in education from Regis University. Brodacz is passionate about helping students and loves watching them grow and learn.

"At this age, students are still so excited about school and learning, and they make teaching a lot of fun and rewarding," Brodacz said. "Teaching is such a rewarding experience because I know that I have made an impact on these kids' lives. I think all children deserve someone in their corner who believes in them and that is what I try to be for my students."

Abigail Clemmons is the new Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) teacher at Niwot Elementary School. She received her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Wyoming, and a master's degree from Fort Hays State University in Kansas. Clemmons previously worked helping students in rural Kansas for four years before she found Niwot Elementary, which was closer to her hometown in Colorado. She is excited to help students succeed no matter where she teaches.

"When I discovered Niwot Elementary, it really was the best of both worlds. Niwot is such a small but welcoming community but also was near my family and areas that I was familiar with." Clemmons stated, "I absolutely love that I get to be a part of the ASD classroom. Again, when working in Kansas, I was able to teach so many ASD students and loved it so much. I can't wait to see what the rest of this year has in store for me and my students."

Amanda Woodle is the Elementary School's newest speech teacher. She has a master's degree in Language, Speech, and Hearing Sciences from CU Boulder and a bachelor's degree from the University of Redlands. She also works as a Speech-Language Pathologist at Niwot and Erie High Schools in addition to her work at Niwot Elementary. She enjoys the cozy, tight-knit community of Niwot.

"[I] chose to be a speech teacher because I love watching kids progress in their communication skills and have more opportunities to connect with others as a result," Woodle said about what drove her passion to become a speech teacher. She also said that she's excited to be a part of the Niwot community.