Welcome New Staff- Middle School

The energy in our buildings is back! On August 19th, we kicked off teacher in service and it has been an inspiring start to the new school year. We are thrilled to welcome five new teachers to our district, along with three returning teachers who have chosen to rejoin our community—what a wonderful addition of talent and experience! Throughout in service, teachers have been busy building community with one another, preparing their classrooms, and engaging in professional learning. From exploring new instructional resources to diving into behavior training, our staff is equipping themselves with the tools and strategies needed to help every student thrive. The excitement is contagious, and it’s clear that our teachers are ready to make this year the best one yet. With classrooms buzzing, hallways filling with energy, and a renewed sense of purpose, we can’t wait to welcome our students back and begin an incredible year of learning together!

The School District of Arcadia is excited to welcome three new teachers this year, Haley Schuman, Jan Hernandez Soto and Cathy Larson to the Middle School Staff.

Haley Schuman begins her first year of teaching after completing her student teaching at Ettrick Elementary in both 5th grade and Special Education. Schuman shared that she has always known she wanted to go into teaching because of her love for working with kids, helping them, and making a difference in their lives. Outside of the classroom, she has a big heart for animals—she adopted two rescue pups about three years ago, and now her household is home to a total of five dogs!

Jan Hernandez Soto joins Arcadia with prior teaching experience at North High in Eau Claire and at Fall Creek. One of his favorite teaching experiences was leading a wrestling unit at Fall Creek, working with students from elementary through high school. He recalls that teaching elementary students was especially fun, since many had never wrestled before. The lessons focused on basic stances, balance, and fun games that the students truly enjoyed. Hernandez Soto, whose parents are from Mexico, says that watching students succeed in learning a new skill is rewarding—but seeing them turn around and teach those skills to each other is an even greater feeling. Outside of school, he enjoys cooking steak and chicken on the grill.

Cathy Larson joins Arcadia after teaching Special Education at Hayward High School and CrossCat. She shared that her passion for teaching stems from a desire to make an impact on the world. Cathy is a widow and lives with her dog, Neo, and her cat, Mum. With a strong family connection to her late husband’s Greek heritage, she enjoys being called “Yaya” by her granddaughter, a role that brings her great joy both personally and professionally.

The district is thrilled to have both Ms. Schuman, Mr. Hernandez Soto and Ms.Larson join the Middle School Raider family and looks forward to the impact they will make on students this year.