Spotlight on the New Teachers

Three new faces have been added to the faculty of Hay Springs Public Schools this year. These new teachers include Melissa Lein, Brad Bounous, and Shawna Wiepen. Lein is teaching business classes and video production this year, Bounous is the new Title I teacher this year, and Wiepen is the new early childhood teacher.

Melissa Lein (pronounced Lynn) is the new business teacher. Lein comes to Hay Springs from Gordon.  She attended Gordon High School and graduated in 2002. After high school, Lein went to Chadron State College, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education with a field endorsement in business education. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Lein is a first year teacher, and says her favorite part of teaching is “watching students excel”. Lein has an older brother, a younger brother, and a twin sister. In her free time, she enjoys hunting and fishing, and is an avid Duck Dynasty fan. Her favorite sports team is the Huskers. One of Lein’s pet peeves is the sound of clicking pens.

Another new member to the Hay Springs Public Schools’ teaching force is Brad Bounous. Bounous is the new Title I teacher this year, working in the elementary building. Bounous grew up in Gordon, where he attended Gordon High School. He then graduated from Chadron State College, and has since been teaching for nine years. Bounous’ favorite part of teaching is interacting with the children. Bounous is married to Sara Bounous, who teaches first grade at Chadron Public Schools. Bounous also an 8-and-one-half- month old son named Braden James. Bounous enjoys reading and genealogy. He is also a big college football fan, and his favorite team is the Huskers. Bounous is also a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals major league baseball team. His favorite television shows include The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory. His biggest pet peeve is when people aren’t true to their word.

The final addition to Hay Springs Public Schools’ faculty this year is Shawna Wiepen, who teaches early childhood. Wiepen is a Nebraska native, and comes to Hay Springs from the Northeastern part of the state, where she attended Wynot High School. Wiepen’s hometown is St. Helena, Nebraska. She has three sisters, and grew up in a rural setting. After graduation, Wiepen went to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This is her first year of teaching, and her favorite part of teaching so far is the funny things kids say. In her spare time, Wiepen enjoys scrapbooking , cooking, and cleaning. She enjoys volleyball and basketball, and is a fan of the Huskers. Wiepen’s favorite TV shows are Big Brother and Grey’s Anatomy. Her biggest pet peeve is when people chew gum obnoxiously.

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