New Staff at Gertie Belle Rogers

Along with multiple people switching roles within the building, we have many new staff joining our team at Gertie Belle Rogers this school year. We are excited to have so many new faces! Here are some details about our new staff.

This will be my 6th year teaching. I taught 4th grade for 4 years at Enemy Swim Day School in Waubay, South Dakota. In June 2022, my husband Alex and I moved to Mitchell. I taught 5th grade for 1 year at Longfellow. I am so happy and excited to be joining GBR.

Alex and I have 2 black labs and 1 mini golden-doodle. I grew up in Yankton and attended USD. GO YOTES! In my free time I love to read, travel, workout at The Hot Spot, attend concerts, go to Vikings games, and spend time with family and friends.

Hello! I’m Katie Cornell and have recently moved to Mitchell from Iowa with my husband, Eric and my daughter, Anna. I also have two adult step daughters and a 3 year old granddaughter. I grew up in the Mitchell area and graduated from Mt. Vernon High School. For the past 5 years, I’ve been a paraprofessional at a school district in Iowa. I love working with kids and working in a school setting has been the most rewarding experience. In my spare time I enjoy drawing, reading, walking my dogs, and spending time with my family and friends. I’m excited to start off the 23-24 school year at Gertie Belle with a new group of colleagues! Go Kernels!

Hello! I'm Megan McManus but most people call me Meg. I'm excited to be back at GBR and back in the classroom! Since leaving GBR a lot has changed. My husband, Chet, and I welcomed 3 girls- Mia (5), Landree (3), and Kambrie (1). They keep us on our toes and there is never a dull moment! We love it! We live in Alexandria - where both Chet and I grew up. Prior to coming back to GBR, I served as a Reading Specialist within the Sioux Falls School District at Garfield Elementary for the past two years, and before that for 5 or 6 (?) years I was a 3rd grade teacher at Pettigrew Elementary. !

Hi, I am Liz, and I am so excited to join the GBR team! I graduated from USD with my master’s in Early Childhood Education in 2022. After graduation, I moved to Mitchell with my Fiancé, and we got our first cat! Her name is Simone, and she loves to cuddle while I read. I like to be with friends, family, and Simone in my free time. I also love getting to read, hike, bake, and cross-stitch.

Hi, my name is Patti Brown but kids call me Miss Patti. The 2023-24 school year will be my 4th year of being a para but new to Gertie Belle. My husband and I have grown children, several grandchildren, we live close to Alexandria and we have a small farm. When I’m not working at the school, you can find me helping on the farm, playing with our pets or fishing.

Hello! I’m Kate McEntee.

This will be my first year as a para, but you may have seen me around the school as the substitute school nurse last year. I am a registered nurse by trade, who also loves quilting, reading and gardening. My husband Tyler and I are both Mitchell natives, and we have two boys, Jack & Ben who attend GBR!

I am involved with the GBR Parent Teacher Association as the 2023-24 president and I am on the board of Big Friend Little Friend as their current Vice President and also matched as a Big Friend.

My name is Darien Cass. My husband, August, and I have been married for 4 years and have two children, Kash (4) & Kora (1). I am a Kernel graduate - class of 2013 - and I am happy to back doing Speech Therapy. I graduated from Mitchell Technical College with my AAS in Speech-Language Pathology Assisting in 2015 and from Eastern New Mexico University with my BS in Communication Disorders in 2019. I look forward to working with you all!

I am Kelly Shonley and I have lived in Mitchell all my life. My husband and I have a son that will be a freshman this year. I enjoy watching our son participate in football, track and marching band.