Please welcome Justin Gunnip to our Brookwood Family as our 7th grade Language Arts Teacher for this school year! You may have seen Gunnip this past year as he substitute taught at both buildings at various grade levels.
He has been a part of the Genoa City community for the past ten years and is married to his beautiful wife, Christine, and has two girls that attend our Brookwood Schools as well. Guinnip graduated from The Illinois Institute of Art with a Bachelor's Degree in Game Art and Graphic Design. Last year, he decided to change career paths and become an educator because he wanted to make a difference in not only academics for our students but also their personal growth. He truly enjoys getting to know each and every student and helping them see the potential they have on their positive growth for themselves academically and personally.
In his spare time, Gunnip loves to spend time with his family, and enjoys reading, writing, and fishing---and playing his electric guitar.
Welcome to our Brookwood Family as a full time teaching staff member, Justin!
Please welcome Kelly Himmelspach to our Brookwood Family as a part of our full time teaching staff! Himmelspach will be joining our Kindergarten team. Her face may be familiar to you because she has been substitute teaching for the last two years at our schools!
She graduated from Western Illinois University with a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. She also has her Masters of Education in Reading and Literacy from Benedictine University. Himmelspach decided to go into teaching because she loves seeing children learn and succeed. It is something about the way their faces light up when they "get" something that really warms her heart.
Himmelspach taught first and second grade for nine years in Illinois. She then decided to take some time off when her son was born to stay home with her two children and is excited to get back into the classroom full time.
She lives in Twin Lakes with her children and husband, Josh, who is a firefighter in Illinois. Both of her children also attend Brookwood and they also have two cats, Oreo and Blue. She is very adventurous and enjoys skydiving and offroading with her Jeep. During her free time she loves going boating and swimming with her kids and crafting with her Cricut.
The reason she chose Brookwood was because when they lived in Genoa City and her daughter attended Kindergarten and she subbed for her first year, she fell in love with the atmosphere. Also seeing the first interaction from Mr. Braden in the morning saying hello to the children with such enthusiasm, to the "small schoolhouse" feeling of the close community of the school truly made her feel that this is where she wants to start her next teaching adventure.
She is looking forward to working with Mr. Braden and the awesome staff to create a fun and exciting learning environment for all kids. She is also excited to start her students off with their love of learning in kindergarten and see those happy little faces succeed.
Welcome to our official teaching staff, Kelly!
Please welcome Stephaine Krueger to the Brookwood Family! She will be joining our teaching staff at the elementary school by leading the 4K programming!
She graduated from UW-Whitewater with a degree in early childhood/middle childhood education. She has always wanted to be a teacher and developed a deep love for early childhood education during her student teaching experience. She has spent her entire career teaching as a 4K teacher and is so excited for this opportunity at Brookwood. She is passionate about developmentally appropriate early learning.
Krueger enjoys spending time with her family and preserving home grown food. She also collects and loves mason jars.
The reason she chose Brookwood is because of the shared passion for developmentally appropriate early learning and how welcoming the Brookwood school environment is. Right away she has felt a part of the Brookwood Family. She is looking forward to most this year is the excitement that surrounds her love of helping her 4K students grow and seeing all the light bulb moments throughout the school year.
Welcome to the Brookwood Family, Stephaine!!
What a great morning!!!! First morning of in-service with all of our staff. We can’t wait to see you all on Thursday!!!
Please welcome Cara Wagner to our Brookwood Family! Wagner will be joining our teaching staff as a 1st grade teacher at our elementary school.
She graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2020 with a degree in Elementary Education. She has always wanted to be a teacher growing up because of the impact of the fantastic teachers she has had in the past whom had inspired her to pursue this career path. She wants to make a difference in the world and show her students that learning can be fun!!
This will be Wagner's third year of teaching. Previously, she had taught first and second grade at an elementary school in Illinois. She likes showing her students there are new things to learn every day and that even as an adult, there are things we don't know...learning is a lifelong journey for all!
Wagner grew up a little over the border in Illinois in the town of Wonder Lake with her parents and younger brother, but currently resides in Wisconsin with her boyfriend and dog, Finn. She loves coffee and Pepsi, watching Marvel movies (Captain America all the way!), and shopping. She loves exploring new walking trails with Finn and trying out new places to eat. Wagner also loves ice hockey! She grew up going to games and watching it (Go Blackhawks!). But most of all she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
The reason Wagner chose to "Be Brookwood" was because of the small community and what being a part of a smaller community and school has to offer. She previously taught in a much larger community and is looking forward to the change and feel of a smaller community. She looks forward to meeting the students, families, and staff members but is most looking forward to meeting her students!! She loves that each student is different and each one brings so many unique skills to the classroom. She can't wait to meet them all and to know them all individually.
Welcome to the Brookwood Family, Cara!
Please welcome Maddie Pacholczak to our Brookwood Family! Pacholczak will be joining our teaching staff as a 1st grade teacher at our elementary school.
She graduated from the UW La Crosse with a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood - Middle Childhood Education. She chose the field of education because she wanted to make a difference in the lives of children by fostering a lifelong love for learning while creating positive relationships throughout her classroom. She is committed to creating a learning environment where children feel supported and valued as an integral part of her classroom community.
When Pacholczak is not teaching, she enjoys running, reading, solving puzzles, and practicing yoga. She thoroughly looks forward to spending as much time as possible outdoors. Some days she prefers to be active and set aside time for long runs while other days she is content with a good book and a cup of coffee on her front porch. Although she loves living in the Midwest, she also loves to travel with her family and friends. Her ideal vacation is relaxing somewhere warm and near the ocean.
Pacholoczak accepted the elementary position because she instantly felt drawn to the tight knit community that exists among the students and their families and the staff. She is originally from the area and feels very fortunate to continue her teaching journey here. She looks forward to getting the chance to meet all of the wonderful new faces in a smaller learning environment which will allow her the chance to build greater rapport with each student.
She is looking forward to a school year full of fun memories and learning experiences as she eagerly approaching this next step in her career as a first year educator. She feels extremely lucky to have the constant support of the amazing faculty, families, and students as she continues to learn and grow as a teacher. Pacholczak looks forward to applying the knowledge and skills she gained from UW- La Crosse to her own classroom, while creating an environment where each student feels supported and excited to learn throughout the school year.
Welcome to the Brookwood Family, Maddie!
Please see the following Mustang Message from our Superintendent Drew Halbesma: https://youtu.be/xDZM_J1rWvw
Por favor vea lo siguiente Mensaje Mustang en español, con Danica Rodriguez: https://youtu.be/vLrnBkKqAQE
Mustang Playgroup Sign-up: https://tinyurl.com/4u5zj6zr
What: Introduce your 3 or 4 year old to Brookwood Elementary School and staff by coming to this play based learning group! We will hold this playgroup every Wednesday and Friday that school is in session. This is a great way to build your child’s social and pre-academic skills.
Who: Children ages 3-4 (not currently in 4 year old Kindergarten) are invited to participate.
Where: Brookwood Elementary School
When: Every week starting Sept 26th, on Wednesdays and Fridays 8:30- 10:00 (on days that regular school is in session) Our last playgroup for the school year will be on May 26th .
Click on the following link to sign your child up: https://tinyurl.com/4u5zj6zr
The Brookwood Clothing Closet will be open during Back to School night in the middle school art room. Families can stop by for free, gently used clothing on Tuesday, August 30th from 4-7 pm. Questions can be directed to Kim Garrett at kim.garrett@gcj2.k12.wi.us
Please help us welcome Nicole Stanislawski to the Brookwood Family! She will be joining our 6th grade team at the middle school teaching Science and English Language Arts. She received her degree in Middle Childhood / Early Adolescence Education with a minor in General Science Education from UW-La Crosse.
She decided to pursue a career in education because she had very positive, encouraging, and influential educators throughout my schooling. She wants to inspire, teach, and help students the same way her teachers helped her when she was younger.
Stanislawski is family oriented and loves animals, She also enjoys working out and being outside. In terms of sports, she loves playing volleyball, golf, and rugby.
Stanislawski chose Brookwood because from the minute she walked into her interview to when she left the school, she felt welcomed by all the staff members she met and felt extremely comfortable the entire time. She also feels that Brookwood possesses a very positive environment that she believes she will fit into very well. What she is looking forward to most is meeting Brookwood staff, the students, and families during her first year. She is also looking forward to learning and growing as a teacher during her first year.
Welcome to the Brookwood Family, Nicole!!
Calling all Brookwood Families! We invite you to join us at the first Brookwood Family Organization meeting of the year on September 6th at 6:30 PM at BES. The BFO is our District's PTO group that plans fun events and fundraisers to help raise money to support the schools and students in all different ways. We’d LOVE it if you could join us. We are ALWAYS looking for new creative ways to support our students and we can always use a helping hand to plan events and activities. See you there!
Please welcome Britt Brill to our Brookwood Family as our new 7th and 8th grade Math Teacher! She is proud to say that she graduated 8th grade from Brookwood, attended high school from Badger High School, received her Bachelor's degree from UW-Madison, and her Master's degree is from UW-Whitewater. Her undergraduate degree is in Special Education and her Master's degree is in Special Education with an Autism Specialist Certificate, as well as a Transition Specialist Certificate. Brill also has her teaching license in both Special Education and Math Education.
Her desire to become a teacher started in first grade, in Mrs. Pierce's class at Brookwood Elementary. The way Mrs. Pierce taught and the passion she showed for her students made Brill's desire to make others feel that way about learning.
Brill started her college career as a math major, to become a math teacher. After her freshman year of college, she started working with a young boy on the Autism spectrum. After working with him for the summer, Brill changed her major to special education, as she knew that her life had been forever changed. After 21 years in special education, she decided to focus on her love of math and helping students learn to love math the way she does.
Brill is excited to be back at Brookwood where her love of education began. She is very excited to give back to the community that she grew up in.
Brill has been married to her amazing husband, Matthew, for 16 years. They have three children: 2 of whom will be attending Brookwood this year: one in the elementary school and one in the middle school. They have lived in Elkhorn for the past 16 years, yet still have many ties to the Genoa City area. In her free time, she enjoys being outside, playing board games, scrapbooking, and drinking a Frappuccino at Starbucks.
Brill is very excited to be back home and to be a Mustang once again!
Once a Mustang, forever a Mustang! Glad to have you on staff, Britt!
Please welcome Kim Disalvo to our Brookwood Family! She joins the team as the Director of Business Services in our District Office. She received her Business Administration and Management Degree from Harper College in Palatine, Illinois.
She decided to pursue the position she did because she has a lot of respect for educators and wanted to find a way to make a difference within an educational setting. She has worked in education for over 10 years and loves being on the finance and employee relations side of the organization. Disalvo, says, "Teachers and support staff work so hard in the classroom and they deserve to have the best support system behind them!" She loves being a member of the team that supports the staff, students, and parents so they can do what they do best - inspire greatness in each other and their students!
Disalvo has been married for over 25 years and has two beautiful daughters and two dogs. Her oldest just graduated from Carroll University in Waukesha with her degree in Psychology and Educational Studies and is pursuing her Master's at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. Her youngest is a senior at McHenry High School, West Campus, and is a certified CNA who is looking to pursue a degree in medicine when she attends college. Disalvo herself loves animals, music, and being outdoors.
The reason she chose Brookwood is because the culture is very welcoming and is connected to the community. It is important to her to be part of an organization that values trust, respect, and dedication. What she is looking forward to most this year is getting to know everyone and start making a difference! She is honored to have the privilege to provide service and support to all members of the Brookwood family and the community it touches.
Welcome to the Brookwood Family, Kim!
Please help us welcome Brittany Brunning to the Brookwood Family! She will be teaching Early Childhood Special Education this year at our elementary school.
She graduated from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2011 and obtained a degree in Elementary Education as well as in Early Childhood Special Education. This will be her 11th year teaching and has found that each year that she teaches she finds it that much more fulfilling. She enjoys seeing her students excited to be at school and watching them get engaged in the activities presented. She believes that as a teacher, one of the most important aspects of teaching is the parent/ teacher team. She is very passionate about teaching and learning through technology and hand-on life experiences. Brunning believes that families play a large role in student success and plays a large role in students emotional and educational development.
Brunning and her family are very excited to become part of the Brookwood Family. They recently moved from Walworth to this area and have found the community to be very, very helpful and welcoming. Brunning has two daughters who will be attending Brookwood with her this year. When she is not lesson planning or writing IEP’s, you can find her with her family and friends. She enjoys reading, baking, spending time near water, and gardening. She also enjoys volunteering at her church where she is the preschool children’s ministry coordinator.
Brunning is very excited to meet you all and get this school year started with fun, learning and lots of new adventures.
Welcome to the Brookwood Family, Brittany!
Parents, tomorrow, August 19th is the LAST day for Online Registration. Online registration is MANDATORY for all families. If you do not have a computer or wish to complete the online registration with assistance, please plan on attending our Registration Day on Tuesday, August 23rd from 11am-7pm @ BMS. Please note, this event will be held at the Middle School for both schools. And, there is NO need to attend Registration Day if you have already completed the online registration at home.
If you are a returning student please follow this link to register: https://gcj2.powerschool.com/public
If you child is new to our District OR if you do not know your log in information, please call the school office for more information and/or questions.
Did you know there are over 80 brands and 350 products that participate in Box Tops? You can buy them at any retailer, then just scan your receipt with the Box Tops app and earn cash for your school. It's that easy!
The money we earn from boxtops helps with school events, books, and student supplies.
Download the FREE app today!
Have any boxtop questions please reach out to us at brookwoodfamily19@gmail.com
Join the BFO at the End of Summer Barnyard Bash during Back to School Night @BMS.
FREE
Popsicles and yard games, face painting and crafts, kid's entertainment from Brian Wismer Entertainment
Food available for purchase from Gracie's Kitchen Food Truck.
Calling all 7th and 8th graders for the upcoming school year!! Rise to Greatness!
-Help make decisions that will impact you
-Get to know your teachers
-Become problem solvers
_Learn to work as a team (heard)
*Supper provided*
RSVP to Ms. Mohr or the middle school office
Tina.Mohr@gcj2.k12.wi.us
262-279-1053
And that’s a wrap for “New Staff Day” —Welcome to the family, Mustangs!
