August 1, 2024

Perry-Lecompton High School will be welcoming two new staff members and a new administrator this year. 

The new PLHS/PLMS Assistant Principal and USD 343 Transportation Director, Cole Fredrickson is excited to begin the next stage of his career at USD 343! Mr. Fredrickson is a native of Plainville, Kansas. Following high school, Cole attended Washburn University for his undergraduate degree, and then Emporia State for his graduate degree. Mr. Fredrickson has a wealth of knowledge in education! He taught 13 years in the Marysville school district as a junior high and high school Social Studies teacher. Mr. Fredrickson followed his teaching career at Marysville with three years as the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director for Marysville. Cole is an outdoor enthusiast, and he loves live music. Mr. Fredrickson comes from a family of educators, and he is excited to begin his time with USD 343! 

With the departure of Ms. Kymbrie Ulrich, who is returning to her hometown, the high school was in need of a new math teacher. USD 343 is happy to announce that Mrs. Amy Thompson will be filling this role. Mrs. Thompson was born in Kansas, but she spent the majority of her youth in Independence, Missouri–graduating high school from Truman High School. Amy earned her undergraduate degree in mathematics from Western Governors University in 2015, and her Master’s degree in Special Education in 2019. Mrs. Thompson started teaching in the Kansas City area and then made the switch to Topeka schools in 2019. While Mrs. Thompson said she enjoys the fun and wonders of teaching middle school, she is very much looking forward to teaching high school students this coming year. When asked why she wanted to join the USD 343 community, Amy said, “I really like how warm and welcoming the staff and students are at USD 343. It's a beautiful landscape within the halls and surrounding the high school. This community truly does have a unique charm and feels like a family.”

Mrs. Casey Woodward is also joining PLHS this fall. Mrs. Woodward is from Topeka, and a graduate of Topeka High. Casey worked outside of education in the corrections department in Kansas; however, she felt her true calling was as an educator. When asked about what led her to wanting to teach, Mrs. Woodward responded, “I had some amazing teachers in my life,  and I truly wanted to be that for others. I lived in Tallinn, Estonia for some years and found a deep love for history and social changes. I have been driven to learn as much as I can about people and history since this experience.” Casey has taught for the past nine years at Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville, Kansas. During that nine year span, Mrs. Woodward taught US History, Psychology, Sociology, and Project Based Learning. Casey is looking forward to moving closer to home–near her five grown children, and eight grandchildren.

As we begin the new school year, be sure to give these staff a warm USD 343 welcome!

July 25, 2024

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PLMS will be welcoming four new teachers this school year!  

Mrs. Cheyenne Rathert will be teaching fifth grade this year at PLMS. While Mrs. Rathert is new to teaching in USD 343, you may have caught a glimpse of her at a band concert or two over the past two years. Cheyenne is married to current PLMS/PLHS Band Director, Steven Rathert. Among the reasons that Mrs. Rathert was excited to join the USD 343 family were the positive things she has seen and heard about USD 343, as well as the time she has spent at events with Steven being very positive. Cheyenne graduated from KU with her undergraduate degree, and Emporia State with her Masters degree. This will be Mrs. Rathert’s 10th year in the classroom! She has served as an academic interventionist, and she has taught 1st, 4th, and 5th grades in the Lawrence, Osage City, and Bonner Springs districts. Cheyenne looks forward to the opportunity to become a member of such a welcoming community.

Welcome to Kahle Spence, who will be filling the shoes of Janelle Carey as an English teacher at PLMS, following Mrs. Carey’s well-deserved retirement. Mr. Spence is familiar with the area as he grew up in Lawrence, and attended high school in Oskaloosa. Following graduating from Oskaloosa, Kahle enrolled at the University of Kansas to work towards a degree in education. Mr. Spence started his educational career at McLouth Elementary, teaching for ten years as a 1st, 4th, and 5th grade teacher. Outside of teaching, Mr. Spence enjoys cycling, basketball, video/photo editing, among many other things! A fun fact about Kahle is that he has an identical twin brother. Mr. Spence is excited to join a district that has a great reputation for putting their students first! 

Michelle Bailey will be joining the PLMS staff this year as a sixth grade teacher. Mrs. Bailey is originally from Astoria, Oregon; however, she grew up in, and graduated from, El Dorado, Kansas.  Michelle graduated with her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Emporia State University. Following graduation, Mrs. Bailey taught second grade at Mission Valley for five years. Michelle and her husband, Ryan, live just north of McLouth with their six year old son, Colt, who will be in second grade at LES this year. When asked about why she wanted to teach at Perry-Lecompton, Michelle stated, “My son has been part of the USD 343 family since he was in the daycare program. Every year we encounter more amazing staff members, students, and families. We quickly discovered that this district is the place you go to find a strong sense of community. I want to be able to help give back to the community that has a hand in raising my son.”

Our final new staff member at PLMS may look familiar to some who have been in the community for a while. Mr. Andy Meyer will be joining the PLMS staff as the 7th/8th grade science teacher. Mr. Meyer grew up in Perry, and graduated from PLHS in 1997. Following high school, Andy earned his Bachelor's degree in Recreation Administration and Health/Fitness from Ottawa University where he played baseball. Mr. Meyer worked outside of education following graduating from Ottawa; however, he decided that his true calling was as an educator. He enrolled and graduated from Fort Hays State with his Bachelor’s of Science in Education. Andy has taught the past nine years in the Oskaloosa school district as a sixth grade teacher. Mr. Meyer has also coached quite a few sports over that time period, a trend he will continue at USD 343. Andy is looking forward to coming back to his alma mater and having a positive impact in the district.

With the departure of Ms. Kymbrie Ulrich, who is returning to her hometown, the high school was in need of a new math teacher. USD 343 is happy to announce that Mrs. Amy Thompson will be filling this role. Mrs. Thompson was born in Kansas, but she spent the majority of her youth in Independence, Missouri–graduating high school from Truman High School. Amy earned her undergraduate degree in mathematics from Western Governors University in 2015, and her Master’s degree in Special Education in 2019. Mrs. Thompson started teaching in the Kansas City area and then made the switch to Topeka schools in 2019. While Mrs. Thompson said she enjoys the fun and wonders of teaching middle school, she is very much looking forward to teaching high school students this coming year. When asked why she wanted to join the USD 343 community, Amy said, “I really like how warm and welcoming the staff and students are at USD 343. It's a beautiful landscape within the halls and surrounding the high school. This community truly does have a unique charm and feels like a family.”

Mrs. Casey Woodward is also joining PLHS this fall. Mrs. Woodward is from Topeka, and a graduate of Topeka High. Casey worked outside of education in the corrections department in Kansas; however, she felt her true calling was as an educator. When asked about what led her to wanting to teach, Mrs. Woodward responded, “I had some amazing teachers in my life,  and I truly wanted to be that for others. I lived in Tallinn, Estonia for some years and found a deep love for history and social changes. I have been driven to learn as much as I can about people and history since this experience.” Casey has taught for the past nine years at Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville, Kansas. During that nine year span, Mrs. Woodward taught US History, Psychology, Sociology, and Project Based Learning. Casey is looking forward to moving closer to home–near her five grown children, and eight grandchildren.

As we begin the new school year, be sure to give these staff a warm USD 343 welcome!